U.S. Women’s Relay Smashes World Record

The U.S. Women’s Relay Team of Allyson Felix, Camelita Jeter, Tianna Madison, and Bianca Knight shattered the world record for the 4X100 meter sprint today to take Gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Knight, Jeter, Madison, and Felix, completed the 4X100 relay in just 40.82 seconds. The women’s relay team beat the previous record, set by East Germany in 1985, by more than a half second.

Felix, who also took gold in the 200 meter race, said:

“Who would have thought that we would have had a world record tonight?… It’s amazing. Our names are going down in history.”

Jeter added:

“I was already pointing at the clock, saying ‘there it is!’ There was a cloud hanging over us with people saying ‘they cannot do this, they are going to drop the stick,’ but we did it.”

The Associated Press reports that the world record finish at the 2012 London Olympics was quite a step up from the 2008 games. The 2008 relay team failed to make the final when a baton pass was botched during the semi-final round.

There were no errors this time around, however, as the women’s relay team took home Gold.

Felix said:

“We knew we could do it… I was thinking Olympic record and when I saw the time, I said, ‘Oh my gosh, world record.'”

The Men’s relay team didn’t fare as well at London today. The U.S. Men’s Relay Team has won the 4X100 at every Olympics since the Moscow Games in 1980. This year, however, they finished off the podium.