After The Fall

After such a great showing by the United States at Worlds, it ended in controversy. On Sunday, the United States' men's 4x100-meter relay — for the fourth time in the last five world events — couldn't quite get the baton from start to finish.

It was hard to focus on the final exchange with Usain Bolt streaking to a world record, but here's a quick recap. Anchorman Walter Dix — awaiting the baton from Darvis 'Doc' Patton — looked poised to grab his third silver medal with even a decent handoff, but Britain's Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, built like a linebacker, took off early and approached the lane line dividing the Brits from the Americans.

Patton — speeding along within his lane — came into contact with the wayward Aikines-Aryeetey, flipped over and landed on his shoulder, sustaining a season-ending injury. The Brit kept running, leaving teammate Marlon Devonish with a single option — to illegally throw his baton to Aikines-Aryeetey. The collision and fall sent Patton into the outside lane and the path of the team from Trinidad & Tobago, causing a disruption in the T&T handoff between Aaron Armstrong and Richard Thompson.

Three teams, all in connection. No medals.

Craig Pickering of Great Britain was frustrated and willing to ignore his team's role in the calamity, saying, "Two of the best teams in the USA and Trinidad & Tobago were out of it so if we had run the time in the final that we had ran in the semi-final we'd have got bronze."

But it was the injured Doc Patton who was at the center of the initial debate. He talked to Lewis Johnson of NBC with his teammates surrounding him. Looking shellshocked, he promised a better showing by Team USA in London.

As a followup, Patton put his thoughts together on his blog, under the title 'That just happened. Again.' It is worth a read. Here is a snippet:

I have to thank my teammates. The men and women of the Team USA 4x100m relays. They were all there after my fall. They helped me get up off that track. They encouraged me to be strong. They said, "Don't let them see your pain. Get up. We're with you." I love them for that. I love them for being there for me even though they were hurting too. If anything, this was a true test of teamwork and we passed with flying colors.