By Mitch Phillips
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – The United States survived a scare to move safely into the final of the men’s 4x100m relay at the World Championships where they will hope to avoid another of the calamitous displays that have dogged them in the event over the last 20 years.
Defending champions Canada, however, failed to make it through from their semi-final on Friday.
Given their extraordinary depth and quality, the U.S. have a woeful recent record in the event. They have not won an Olympic final since 2000 and have one gold from the last seven World Championships amid a series of fumbles and disqualifications.
On Friday they lined up Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes and JT Smith – with individual champion Noah Lyles, one of three Americans going in the 200m final later on Friday – set to slot in for Saturday’s final.
They had a scare with the last handover but Smith clutched the baton at the third attempt and just held off fast-finishing Jamaican Rohan Watson to win the heat in an impressive 37.67 seconds.
Jamaica and a slick Japan quartet followed them through.
Olympic champions Italy, with Tokyo individual gold medallist Lamont Marcell Jacobs running a barnstorming second leg, were impressive winners of the second heat in 37.65.
South Africa finished second, with Britain overhauling Canada on the last leg for the third automatic qualifying spot as the holders failed to make the final.
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ken Ferris)
