Lorraine Fenton (right) of Jamaica runs toward the finish line as Suziann Reid (left) of the United States drops the baton after it was hand off by a teammate. Jamaica won gold with a time of three minutes, 20.65 seconds.
- ReutersEDMONTON, Canada, CANA:
JAMAICA, with 400 metres silver medallist Lorraine Graham-Fenton on anchor, raced to a 2001 world best time to win gold in the women's 4x400 metres at the 8th IAAF World Athletics Championships yesterday.
Jamaica clocked a new national record three minutes 20.65 seconds, dismissing Germany and Russia for their only gold medal of the 2001 championship.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) copped four other medals on the final day when Suriname's Letitia Vriesde got bronze in the women's 800 metres, while the Bahamas and Jamaica secured silver and bronze respectively in the men's 4X400 relay and Trinidad and Tobago snatched bronze in the men's sprint relay.
Jamaica lifted their medal tally on day 10 to one gold, two silver and two bronze medals to place 12th in the table, one ahead of the Bahamas (1-2-0).
The United States finished on top with nine gold, five silver, and five bronze, to lead Russia (6-7-6), Kenya (3-3-1) and Cuba (3-1-2).
Jamaica's 1600 relay girls, bronze medal winners at the Sydney Olympics last year, won with authority, after world indoor champion Sandie Richards appeared on lead-off, handing to Catherine Scott, followed by 400-hurdles finalist Debbie-Ann Parris, and Graham-Fenton.
Their time smashed the previos national record of 3:21.30, as Germany (3:21.97) ran through for silver and Russia (3:24.92) for bronze.
The United States maintained their dominance in the men's race, Leonard Byrd, Antonio Pettigrew, Derrick Brew, and Angelo Taylor, taking them to victory in 2:57.54 seconds.
The Bahamas (Avard Moncur, Christopher Brown, Troy McIntosh, and Timothy Munnings) took second in 2:58.19, followed by Jamaica (2:58.39). Brandon Simpson, Chris Williams, Greg Haughton, and Danny McFarlane competed for the Jamaicans.
Trinidad and Tobago, with Ato Boldon on the backstretch and world youth champion Darrel Brown on anchor, lowered their national record to 38.58 in taking third in the men's 4X100 metres relay.
Marc Burns ran the first leg and Jacey Harper the third leg in an outstanding run behind the United States (37.96) and South Africa (38.47).
Mozambique's Maria de Lourdes Mutola won the women 800 metres in 1:57.17 seconds, beating Austria's Stephanie Graf (1:57.20) with Suriname's Vriesde, the Pan Am Games champion, a close third in 1:57.35.
