Team USA 4x100 Takes Gold at IAAF World Championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –Bolstered by former Hogs Wallace Spearmon and Tyson Gay, Team USA’s 4×100-meter relay took the gold at the IAAF World Championships.

Led off by Darvis Patton, Team USA clocked a time of 37.78 to take the tape ahead of Team Jamaica’s 37.89 (Marvin Anderson, Usain Bolt, Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell). Spearmon took the second leg, Gay the third and Leroy Dixon anchored.

“We practiced with Doc (Darvis Patton) a lot and our exchange was one of the best ever,” Spearmon said. “My only thought was to pass it as best as possible to the fastest man on earth (Tyson Gay). He is my role model, my hero, my everything. He was the leader of our team."

Gay tallied three gold medals at this year’s championships (100 meters, 200 meters and 4×100-meter). Spearmon won two medals, a bronze in the 200 meters and gold for the relay. The 4×100-meter relay gold medal was the first at this year’s championships for Patton and Dixon.

"My goal was to produce the biggest possible lead for our last runner,” Gay said. “Our hand-off was not the best one, so I tried to push him little bit and cheered him on so that he made it to the line as first. It felt great, it was the team work.”

Visit www.usatf.org or www.iaaf.org for more details and an updated schedule. Highlights from the World Championships will be air on NBC and the Versus network. Visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships/TVSchedule.asp for a detailed schedule.