Noah Lyles completed a glorious World Championships when he anchored the US to victory in the World Championship 4x100 metres relay to claim a third Budapest gold medal on Saturday.
Despite their rich depth, the US had not won an Olympic final since 2000 and had just one gold from the last seven world championships amid a series of fumbles and disqualifications.
But they were almost faultless on Saturday as Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes and Lyles won in 37.38. South Africa, however, failed to get the baton around, their bid ending in a mix-up between the second runner, Benji Richardson, and Clarence Munyai, the third man in the team. Akani Simbine could only stand still watching his rivals race by.
Olympic champions Italy, with Tokyo individual gold medallist Lamont Marcell Jacobs on the second leg, took silver with 37.62, with Jamaica finishing strongly to edge out Britain for bronze in 37.76.
The US also won the women's 4x100m relay gold as Sha'Carrie Richardson and Gabby Thomas came into the team to see them home ahead of regular rivals Jamaica in a championship record time of 41.03 seconds.
The first three did their job so that Richardson, the individual 100m champion, was always in control.
Jamaica's Shericka Jackson, the 200m champion, had too much to do as they took silver in 41.21 while Britain claimed bronze with 41.97.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon secured victory in the 5,000 metres on Saturday, having already captured gold in the 1,500m.
The 29-year-old, who also won double gold at the Tokyo Olympics, roared into the lead with just under two laps remaining to cross in 14 minutes 53.88 seconds.
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, bronze medallist in the 1,500, upgraded to silver with 14:54.11.
Beatrice Chebet of Kenya won the bronze in 14:54.33.
The double gold caps a remarkable season that has seen Kipyegon break three world records.
Canada's Marco Arop foxed his rivals with a radical change of tactics and then poured on the pace to win a brilliant 800 metres gold.
Normally a front-runner, he kept his huge frame out of the picture, right at the back, through the first lap and, while the rest of the field were wondering, swept straight to the front at the bell and surged clear.
Arop, the bronze medallist last year, kept his foot down to win comfortably in 1min 44.24sec.
Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi took silver in 1:44.53 while 21-year-old Ben Pattison continued Britain's great middle distance form at the championships as he held off Spain's Adrian Ben to claim a surprise bronze in 1:44.83.
“This means everything to me. I'm so glad to finally be able to do this on the world stage,” said Arop, who was born in Sudan and forced by the civil war to flee with his family of eight when he was two years old.
“After bronze in Eugene I just concentrated on making progress, step by step, each year trying to become better than I was the year before. Now it's going to be hard to beat a gold medal — I'll just have to repeat it, I guess.”
Addressing his change of tactics, he added: “I don't want to be known as the guy who can only run one way. I tried to be patient tonight and put myself in a position where I could attack. I knew it was going to be a tactical race.
“I was up late last night figuring different ways to win. One scenario was to kick from behind in the way I did. I guess it was worth staying up late.”
Athletics
US men and women dominate 4x100m relays while South Africa crash out
Image: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Noah Lyles completed a glorious World Championships when he anchored the US to victory in the World Championship 4x100 metres relay to claim a third Budapest gold medal on Saturday.
Despite their rich depth, the US had not won an Olympic final since 2000 and had just one gold from the last seven world championships amid a series of fumbles and disqualifications.
But they were almost faultless on Saturday as Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes and Lyles won in 37.38. South Africa, however, failed to get the baton around, their bid ending in a mix-up between the second runner, Benji Richardson, and Clarence Munyai, the third man in the team. Akani Simbine could only stand still watching his rivals race by.
Olympic champions Italy, with Tokyo individual gold medallist Lamont Marcell Jacobs on the second leg, took silver with 37.62, with Jamaica finishing strongly to edge out Britain for bronze in 37.76.
The US also won the women's 4x100m relay gold as Sha'Carrie Richardson and Gabby Thomas came into the team to see them home ahead of regular rivals Jamaica in a championship record time of 41.03 seconds.
The first three did their job so that Richardson, the individual 100m champion, was always in control.
Jamaica's Shericka Jackson, the 200m champion, had too much to do as they took silver in 41.21 while Britain claimed bronze with 41.97.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon secured victory in the 5,000 metres on Saturday, having already captured gold in the 1,500m.
The 29-year-old, who also won double gold at the Tokyo Olympics, roared into the lead with just under two laps remaining to cross in 14 minutes 53.88 seconds.
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, bronze medallist in the 1,500, upgraded to silver with 14:54.11.
Beatrice Chebet of Kenya won the bronze in 14:54.33.
The double gold caps a remarkable season that has seen Kipyegon break three world records.
Canada's Marco Arop foxed his rivals with a radical change of tactics and then poured on the pace to win a brilliant 800 metres gold.
Normally a front-runner, he kept his huge frame out of the picture, right at the back, through the first lap and, while the rest of the field were wondering, swept straight to the front at the bell and surged clear.
Arop, the bronze medallist last year, kept his foot down to win comfortably in 1min 44.24sec.
Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi took silver in 1:44.53 while 21-year-old Ben Pattison continued Britain's great middle distance form at the championships as he held off Spain's Adrian Ben to claim a surprise bronze in 1:44.83.
“This means everything to me. I'm so glad to finally be able to do this on the world stage,” said Arop, who was born in Sudan and forced by the civil war to flee with his family of eight when he was two years old.
“After bronze in Eugene I just concentrated on making progress, step by step, each year trying to become better than I was the year before. Now it's going to be hard to beat a gold medal — I'll just have to repeat it, I guess.”
Addressing his change of tactics, he added: “I don't want to be known as the guy who can only run one way. I tried to be patient tonight and put myself in a position where I could attack. I knew it was going to be a tactical race.
“I was up late last night figuring different ways to win. One scenario was to kick from behind in the way I did. I guess it was worth staying up late.”
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