Olympics 2016: Team USA dominates from Lane 1 to win gold medal in women’s 4x100m relay

The 4x100 relay gold medal is staying in the United States. Team USA dominated the relay from the inside lane, running 41.01 to stun Jamaica.

Allyson Felix became the first woman to win five Olympic gold medals in track and field with the win. Jamaica finished second in 41.36 and Great Britain finished third with a time of 41.77.

Elaine Thompson nearly matched Usain Bolt in Rio. Like Bolt did in 2008, 2012 and 2016, she won the 100 and 200, but Jamaica couldn’t win the 4x100 in Rio to complete her personal sweep.

The U.S. team consisted of Tianna Bartoletta, Felix, English Gardner and Tori Bowie. Bartoletta had already won gold in the women’s long jump, and Bowie had won silver in the 100 and bronze in the 200.

Jamaica’s Christania Williams, Thompson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were unable to hang with the U.S. on Friday.

Team USA won in a world record time in 2012, with Jamaica second. Unlike on the men’s side, where Jamaica has a stranglehold on the 4x100, the women’s side is much more competitive. Even though Jamaica had a 1-3 finish in the 100, this race was always supposed to be close.

Team USA nearly didn’t qualify for the final. Felix was bumped before handing the baton to Gardner in the preliminary, which caused her to drop the stick. Felix grabbed the baton and got it to Gardner, who ran her leg and handed off for the final leg, and the U.S. finished the race. They immediately protested and were granted a chance at a re-run -- so they ran a solo 4x100 on the track, and they ran faster than China’s qualifying time from the prelim to make the final. Because they were the final team allowed into the field, they were given Lane 1, a less-than-ideal spot because of the tighter turn.

In the end, getting in made all the difference in the world because this was a gold medal team.