Italy was disqualified in the World Relays final, the World Relay Championships held in Nassau (Bahamas). There Men’s 4x100mwhich yesterday had conquered the qualification for the Olympics of Paris 2024 with second place in the heat, has crossed the finish line in third place with a time of 38.13 (it would have been the sixth fastest time ever for our national team), but shortly after the arrival it was the cold shower arrived for the Italian quartet, silver at the last World Championships with the same team.
The reason for the disqualification, which cost the bronze medal in this event reserved exclusively for team specialties (where among other things Italy was defending the title won in Chorzow in 2021), it is linked to a passing of the baton outside the zone between Marcell Jacobs and Lorenzo Patta: the Lombard sprinter will then take the blame for the error.
Roberto Rigali he started a little too cumbersomely (10.85) in eighth lane, but the passing of the baton to Marcell Jacobs it was perfect and the Olympic 100 meter champion did his best in an excellent run on the opposite straight, offering a splendid stride and keeping pace with the volcanic American Kenneth Bednarek (8.95). The Lombard sprinter appeared to be in excellent physical condition and seems to be improving: after having performed in 10.11 in Jacksonville and having convinced in the preliminary round, the Messiah of Italian athletics offered positive sensations and seems to be on the right path, we will see him at work again on May 18th in Rome.
The change (taken to the extreme as expected on the eve) However, with Lorenzo Patta it was complicatedthe two were unable to exchange the stick in a fluid manner and prolonged the transition phase too much, subsequently running into disqualification. The Sardinian’s curve was excellent as in drums, then the good closing by Filippo Tortu (9.18) who can do nothing against Lyles (8.88) and De Grasse (8.96). The sensations and performance were good during the Caribbean weekend.
The USA dominated the match and won by force with the best world performance of the season (37.40). Nice throw by Courtney Lindsey (10.42), excellent second half by Kenneth Bednarek (8.95), nice curve by Kyree King (9.15) and final straight by the star Noah Lyles (8.88 for the World Champion of 100, 200, 4×100) . The Stars and Stripes Battleship has preceded André De Grasse’s Canada (37.89), while the third place ended up in the hands of France (38.44) after Italy’s disqualification, just one hundredth ahead of Japan and Great Britain.
