Jamaican's set an unprecedented 3rd world record, but just miss the clean sweep of the Olympic sprints as the men's relay team wins gold, but the women drop the stick

Bolt celebrates third gold and third world record

Beijing, China (Friday August 22nd, 2008) - The Jamaican men yet again smash a previous world mark of 37.40 seconds set by the United States at the 1992 Olympics with a new benchmark of 37.10 in the men's 4x100m relay today at Olympic Stadium today. The win gives Usain Bolt an unprecedented third gold medal and a third world record. Trinidad and Tobago took silver; finishing almost a full second behind the Jamaicans (38.06) and Japan came home with the bronze (38.15).

Less than an hour prior to the men's glory, the Jamaican women’s team, consisting of 4 medalists was expected to also handily walk away with gold. With two gold and five overall sprint medals already won by its four-woman line-up, Jamaica was the definitive favourite to win. That was until Sherone Simpson failed to get the baton across to Kerron Stewart, the woman she shared the 100m silver medal with. The botch up left Veronica Campbell-Brown, who ran the fastest 200 meters in a decade the night before, without a chance to run her anchor leg. With the Jamaican all-star team out, the Russians went on to win gold, with Belgium second and Nigeria third.

A dejected Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, never got to run her anchor leg of the Women's 4 x 100m Relay Final

After today, Jamaica fell to 5-for-6 in the sprints, leaving the United States in 1984 as the only country to sweep all six Olympic sprints. Jamaica is now 2nd in the medal standings in athletics with 10 (6 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) and 19th overall at the 2008 Olympics.

Video Clips:

Mens 4x100 http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=41310353
Womens 4x100 http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=41309820

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