Historic effort by Great Britain as they stun USA

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2004

ATHENS (AFP) — Great Britain pulled off a huge surprise here as they took the men's 4x100 metres relay for only the second time in Olympic history and first since 1912.

The British quartet timed 38.07 seconds to stun odds-on favourites the United States, who timed 38.08sec for silver while Nigeria won the bronze in a time of 38.23sec.

A determined anchor run by Mark Lewis-Francis just got the British home as the 2000 Olympic champion Maurice Greene chased him down trying to repair the damage done by 100m champion Justin Gatlin's botched handover to Coby Miller.

However, despite a typically all guns blazing run by 30-year-old Greene it was the less experienced Lewis-Francis who used his head, by dipping so his chest hit the line just ahead of Greene.

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