Yohan Blake and a speedy Jamaican 4x200 metres relay team did not need Usain Bolt to add to the island nation’s collection of world records on Saturday.
Blake, the world’s second fastest 200 metres runner behind Bolt, turned on the jets and anchored Jamaica to a world record one minute, 18.63 seconds at the inaugural IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas.
The sizzling performance took 0.05 seconds off a 20-year-old record held by a Carl Lewis-anchored American team in 1994.
“We knew we could come here and get this medal and world record,” said Blake, whose training partner Bolt holds both the 100 and 200m world records and Olympic titles but has not run this year.
“It feels very good enough I think that we could have gone faster,” added 100m Olympic silver medallist Blake.
Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir and Jermaine Brown put Blake into position for the record. None had been on Jamaica's world record teams in the 4x100, making the victory more sweet.
Results: Men: 4x200M: Jamaica (Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir, Jermaine Brown, Yohan Blake) 1:18.63 (WR) 1; St Kitts and Nevis (1:20.51) 2; France (1:20.66) 3.
4x800M: Kenya (Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich, Sammy Kibet Kirongo, Job Koech Kinyor, Alfred Kipketer) 7:08.40, 1; Poland (7:08.69) 2; US (7:09.06) 3.
Women: 4x100M: US (Tianna Bartlotta, Alexandria Anderson, Jeneba Tarmoh, Lakeisha Lawson) 41.88 seconds, 1; Jamaica (42.28) 2; Trinidad and Tobago (42.66) 3.
4x1500M: Kenya (Mercy Cherono, Faith Kipyegon, Irene Jelagat, Hellen Obiri) 16:33.58 (WR) 1; US (16:55.33) 2; Australia (17:08.65) 3.