Canada crowned inaugural mixed 4x100m relay champions
GUANGZHOU :Canada produced a sublime display in ideal sprinting conditions to outclass Jamaica and Britain en route to the inaugural mixed 4x100 metres relay gold on the final day of the World Athletics Relays on Sunday.
After setting the pace during the heats on a soggy Saturday in Guangzhou, where the event made its debut on the global stage, the Canadian quartet powered out of the blocks in the final and crossed the finish line in a season's best 40.30 seconds.
Strong runs by Sade McCreath, Marie-Eloise Leclair and Duan Asemota set up anchor Eliezer Adjibi to show his explosive pace in the final stretch, ensuring Canada left the southern Chinese city with the fastest time over two days of competition.
"I think this is a test and it shows how hard we work," an elated Asemota said.
"We had been to the relay camp, we all sacrificed so many weeks of the year to get this relay right. We showed it on the track and with this medal. We did it."
With pre-event favourites the United States absent from the final after fumbling their baton exchange in the heats, Jamaica took second in 40.44 seconds while Britain were third ahead of Australia, Italy and France, in 40.88 seconds.
The Americans defended their mixed 4x400m title and put down a marker before the world championships in Tokyo in September by winning with a championship-record time of 3:09.54, finishing in front of Australia and Kenya.
Akani Simbine came up with a late burst of speed to anchor South Africa to victory in the men's 4x100m event, ensuring his team edged out the U.S. and Canada with a world-leading effort of 37.61 seconds.
There was more drama earlier as Jamaica's men's 4x100m team failed to book a place in Tokyo when a hamstring injury to Julian Forte in their second qualifying attempt proved costly, after they botched their baton exchange during Saturday's heat.
It was smooth sailing for a relatively inexperienced British team with Nia Wedderburn-Goodison, Amy Hunt, Bianca Williams and Success Eduan staving off Jamaica and the U.S to win the women's 4x100m race in 42.21 seconds, ahead of surprise package Spain who took second.
The Spanish 4x400m women's team stunned defending champions and Paris gold medallists the U.S. with a time of 3:24.13, while South Africa sparkled in the men's event with a world-leading time of 2:57.50.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
Canadian teen McIntosh shatters 400 metres freestyle record
Canadian three-times Olympic champion Summer McIntosh set a world record in the women's 400 metres freestyle at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria, British Columbia, on Saturday. The 18-year-old clocked 3:54.18 to better Australian Ariarne Titmus' mark of 3:55.38 set at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. "Going into tonight, I knew that my training has been really good these past few months, and I knew that I could do something special," McIntosh told public broadcaster CBC. "So being able to input my training in doing that - I didn't think my training would be 54.1 but I'm really happy with that." At the Paris Olympics, McIntosh became the first athlete from Canada to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games. In Paris, the four-times World Aquatics champion won gold in the 400 metres individual medley, 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley, as well as taking silver in the 400 freestyle. But things felt different at the Canada trials. "I just felt so strong throughout, and that's never been the case in the 400 freestyle for me. That last 100, I'm always really, really hurting. "But I flipped at the 200 and I was just cruising, so I knew that I was having a strong swim. I could tell by the crowd and knew the way they were cheering that I was probably close to the world record. "So I really tried to push that last part for them."
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Ivankovic takes responsibility after China's World Cup dream ends
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup - Asian Qualifiers - Third Round - Group C - China v Japan - Xiamen Egret Stadium, Xiamen, China - November 19, 2024 China coach Branko Ivankovic before the match REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Group C - Indonesia v China - Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia - June 5, 2025 Indonesia's Dean James, Indonesia's Ole Romeny, Indonesia's Beckham Putra, Indonesia's Rizky Ridho, Indonesia's Ivar Jenner and Indonesia's Rafael Struick celebrate after the match REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana China coach Branko Ivankovic took responsibility for his team's exit from the World Cup qualifiers after they fell to a 1-0 defeat by Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday. China had faint hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup despite three consecutive losses against Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia, which left them bottom of Asian qualifying Group C. The expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition had ignited Chinese hopes of a return to the finals for the first time since their sole appearance in 2002. "This team has been fighting for this goal for over 20 years," Ivankovic told reporters. "We believed that if we could reach the next stage from this tough group, we would have a strong chance of qualifying. But we didn't succeed, and as head coach, I definitely bear significant responsibility." The 71-year-old Croatian was appointed by China in February last year to replace Aleksandar Jankovic after the Serbian failed to take the East Asian country beyond the group phase of the 2024 Asian Cup. "We've brought in a younger generation of players who have injected energy into the team. Based on their performances, I believe this team has a promising future," Ivankovic said. "We knew this match would be tough — not just because of the opponent, but also the weather. I want to thank my players for fighting until the very last second." China next host Bahrain, who are in fifth place in Group C, for their final third-round qualifier on June 10. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
China's pro wrestling scene dealt one-two blow by sluggish economy, lack of support
BEIJING: In an event space on the fringes of Beijing, two heavyset wrestlers in spandex and masks stare each other down in the middle of a ring. They spring off the ropes with surprising agility, poised to strike. A third figure, clad in a traditional Chinese gown, storms onto the squared circle. With swift, kungfu-style power kicks, he sends both fighters crashing onto the mat with thunderous thuds that echo around the arena. "This is awesome! This is awesome!" the crowd roars in English. While the venue sold out all of its almost 400 seats, the overall number of Chinese pro wrestling spectators is a far cry from what it once was, with its standing ticket sales far below expectations. A few years ago, Middle Kingdom Wrestling (MKW), one of China's few homegrown wrestling promoters, was riding a wave of momentum. Viewership was increasing – its roster of pro-wrestlers sold out shows and profited from the sale of merchandise. But since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it has struggled to recreate the buzz. As China's economic slowdown continues to bite, its ticketed shows – which used to be held once every two months – are now organised just twice a year. 'We kind of had to slow down a bit and try to find opportunities. The economy continues to be sluggish for a lot of industries,' said Adrian Gomez, president of the organisation. Its shows are infused with a distinct local flair – wrestlers don gear with Chinese embroidery while traditional music blares from the speakers. A ticket at the front row costs about US$70, while the cheapest is priced at around US$26. Hardcore fans said they are willing to pay the relatively steep price, given that the live atmosphere at such events is electrifying and "incomparable" to watching on a screen. Some said they would even travel from other cities just for the experience. "I don't think it's very expensive. Here, I can experience the live atmosphere, see some of our top fighters, and also some of our top-tier pro-wrestlers. It's totally worth it,' said a ticket holder. MKW also live streams its shows for free, which typically attract several thousand views. UNTAPPED POTENTIAL In January, Chinese authorities relaxed rules for staging large-scale commercial performances as part of efforts to spur consumption. But pro wrestling is still struggling to carve out its audience in the country as debate persists over whether it is a violent sport or staged spectacle. The community lament a lack of official support, recognition and understanding of the sport. The scene's largely underground following is a world of difference from its far more glitzy and well-known counterpart – the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in the United States. WWE's flagship Raw programme still sees about 1.7 million viewers in America per episode, and made its Netflix debut in January with 4.9 million global views. Industry players said they believe there is enormous untapped potential for pro wrestling in China, the world's second most populous nation. They added that the sector just needs a breakout star to give the sport a fighting chance. 'The Chinese wrestling industry is still quite new and the main thing is that we need to cultivate an environment where it's going to allow a Chinese wrestler to break out. That is what's going to build up the scene,' said MKW's Gomez. For now, the sport remains a niche pursuit powered by passion, not profit. 'I was a full-time professional wrestler for a while, but it was only for a period of time. Most wrestlers have to work other jobs to make money,' said a Chinese pro-wrestler known as The Slam. 'Wrestling can only be a side hustle – there are some who do it full-time, but they're the very few.' Still, there are hopes that pro wrestling could gain ground. In southern China's Guangdong province, where WWE used to air on cable television, a restaurant went viral on Chinese social media last year for featuring its own wrestling ring. MKW, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, said the next step is to expand domestically beyond traditional fan hubs like Guangdong and Shanghai, into new markets like Beijing. "Beijing hasn't had a wrestling show in over 10 years, so that was a very calculated decision," Gomez said of the promoter's organising of the recent event in the Chinese capital. "If we go to Beijing, we've got to make sure that's it's the right time, that we have the right resources and that we do it right." He added that featuring international stars can also help boost the profile for local talents.
