Canada win sprint relay as US blow it yet again

PARIS :Canada won the men’s Olympic 4x100m relay for the second time on Friday after hot favourites the United States messed up a changeover yet again and were disqualified.

Andre de Grasse ran a superb last leg to bring the Tokyo silver medallists home in 37.50 seconds for a second gold in the event following their 1996 success.

Akani Simbine, the nearly man of the individual 100 metres, also ran a terrific last leg to get South Africa silver in an African record 37.57, as did Zharnel Hughes to earn Britain bronze in 37.61.

Canada, running in the outside lane, were led off well by Aaron Brown. Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney kept them in contention with slick changeovers regularly honed under respected coach Glenroy Gilbert who was a member of the victorious 1996 squad.

However, once all the last leg runners had the baton in hand, it was Japan leading from Italy, who had used Tokyo 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs on the second leg.

DE GRASSE DELIGHT

De Grasse, the Tokyo gold medallist over 200, Simbine, who has an incredible six fourth or fifth place finishes in individual global 100s, and Hughes, all tore past them, with Canada doing just enough to win the race.

"It feels pretty amazing," De Grasse told reporters. "To be out with these guys, my brothers, I’ve been with them since the beginning of time and it feels good to bring it to fruition."

"The individuals didn’t go our way but when we come together we’re a real strong team. You can never count us out, we feel great," Brown said.

Crossing the line way behind was individual bronze medallist Fred Kerley, who was involved in the botched changeover that saw them fail to make the final at the last Olympics.

He was not the guilty party this time, however, as the damage was