By Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel –
LONDON — One of the oldest dynasties in track and field is no more, brought down by a Caribbean nation with a population of 350,000.
The United States, which hadn’t lost a final in the men’s 1,600 relay at the Olympic Games since 1952, was unseated Friday night by Bahamas.
Angelo Taylor, 33, pressed into action as the U.S. anchor because of injuries, couldn’t hold onto a slight lead and was passed by Bahamas’ Ramon Miller with less than 100 meters left in the race.
Bahamas won its first-ever men’s Olympic gold medal with a time of 2 minutes, 56.72 seconds. The U.S. took the silver in 2:57.05 and Trinidad and Tobago took the bronze in 2:59.40.
“The U.S. was a tough team to beat,” said Chris Brown, who ran leadoff for Bahamas and, like his teammates, attended college in the United States. “We’ve been chasing them for a long time.”
Miller attended tiny Dickinson (N.D.) State, a NAIA school, while Brown attended Norfolk (Va.) State.
The last time the U.S. lost a men’s long relay final at an Olympic Games was 1952, in Helsinki. The Americans withdrew from the competition in 1972 and also did not win in 1980, when the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Games.
But the Americans were vulnerable in London after former Olympic 400-meter champions LaShawn Merritt (2008) and Jeremy Wariner (2004) suffered hamstring injuries.
Then, in the heats Thursday, Manteo Mitchell broke a bone in his lower leg but kept running and helped the Americans qualify for the final.
Mitchell finished his leg in 46.1 seconds and the U.S. tied the Bahamas in the second heat in 2:58.87 seconds — the fastest time ever run in the first round of the relay at the Olympics.
“We definitely wanted to win gold for Manteo,” Taylor said.
“Big, big shout-out to Manteo for helping get us this far,” said McQuay.
Mitchell was at the track Friday, in a walking boot and on crutches, to cheer on his teammates.
“I wanted them to get the gold,” Mitchell said. “You never know what I could have done. I feel like everybody gave their all.”
Bryshon Nellum of Los Angeles, Joshua Mance of Chino, Calif., and Tony McQuay of West Palm Beach, Fla., ran the first three legs.
Brown, switched from anchor to leadoff, gave Bahamas a slight lead over Great Britain and the U.S. at the first changeover. Demetrius Pinder maintained Bahamas’ lead on the second leg, but Mance made up ground.
McQuay overtook Michael Mathieu down the back straight and gave Taylor a five-meter lead for the final lap.
“I felt like Angelo may have gotten out maybe a little bit slower than what he would usually go out,” Mitchell said. “(Miller) was behind him, saving his speed. In the end, he made Angelo exert a lot of energy.”
Miller reeled in Taylor foot by foot and finally passed him.
Taylor ran three rounds in the 400 hurdles and finished fifth earlier in the week, but he did not use tired legs as an excuse.
“I got the baton exactly where I wanted it,” he said. “I think I floated a little too much on the back stretch and lost my rhythm. Unfortunately, Ramon had more than I did. I didn’t get a second wind until about 50 meters (left) and, unfortunately, it was too late.
“I just didn’t have it tonight. I really didn’t hold up the tradition. I take my hat off to Bahamas. They ran a phenomenal relay.”
Bahamas won the silver medal behind the U.S. in Beijing in 2008.
“The U.S. guys know we’ve been just behind them or thereabouts for a long time,” Miller said. “It’s amazing we are finally taking home the gold.”
South Africa, with double-amputee Oscar Pistorius running anchor on his carbon-fiber blades, finished eighth in 3:03.46. The team finished second to the U.S. at the 2011 World Championships.
“It’s always an honor to be the anchor,” said Pistorius, a much-decorated Paralympic athlete. “It’s been incredible to be here. Just to participate has been great and now I am really looking forward to the Paralympics.”
