TOKYO: A season’s best performance and the fastest qualifying time of the round powered the US to the final of the men’s 4x400m in their heat at the Olympic Stadium today.
Trevor Stewart, Randolph Ross, Bryce Deadmon and Vernon Norwood were quick off the block and came into the first changeover second but then took a lead they never relinquished as smooth changeovers took them to a time of 2:57.77s.
Botswana finished second ahead of Trinidad and Tobago, and showed that they could be a real threat for a podium finish at the weekend.
In the second heat, Poland, who have already won gold the inaugural Olympic 4x400m mixed relay, produced a brilliant come-from-behind win in a season’s best time of 2:58.55s.
Also through to the medal round are Jamaica, who also clocked a season’s best of 2:59.29s to finish second.
Belgium’s third-place performance was also enough for them to advance.