American sprint legend gives tactics on how Noah Lyles-inspired squad can break Jamaica's 4x100m World Record

American sprint legend gives tactics on how Noah Lyles-inspired squad can break Jamaica's 4x100m World Record

Funmilayo Fameso 09:06 - 05.04.2024

Do you think Jamaica's historic 4x100m World Record is beatable? An American sprint legend thinks it is, detailing his formation to achieve the feat.

As the Paris Olympic Games draws nearer, track permutations are made on the World Record's that will likely go down. And now, American sprint legend has given his Noah Lyles-inspired tactics to break the Jamaican 4x100m record. 

Justin Gatlin - a two-time world 100m champion and Usain Bolt's biggest rival during their active days, gave a detailed analysis of how breaking the 36.84s record is achievable by the present set of American sprinters.

Justin Gatlin was one of the very few athletes to defeat Usain Bolt

Speaking in the Ready Set Go podcast show, the host asked Gatlin if he thinks the 4x100m relay WR is under threat any time soon, to which the American responded positively.

"Listen, 36.8 is a gigantic order. Everything has to be perfect, the stars have to align. I believe that with the talents that we have today, I believe that it's possible," said Gatlin.

The Jamaican quartet that set the 4x100m World Record at the London 2012 Olympic Games

While the host begged to defer specifying how perfect the Bolt-inspired team of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, and Yohan Blake was, Gatlin gave his formation that could match or surpass their time.

"Let's say Coleman gets back to his 9.7 form. Kerley gets back into 100m shape, he's down to 9.8-9.7 form. Then you got Erriyon Knighton on that turn, and you got Noah Lyles bringing it home. You can't tell me, that isn't a very formidable 4x100m team right there," he continued.

"If they handle sticks off correctly and get it round the track, boy you looking at something crazy."

Gatlin is one of the fastest men in history and his 9.74s ranks him fifth on the all-time list of male 100-meter sprinters.

With Lyles already making bold claims of breaking Bolt's 19.19s WR in the 200m and aiming for a quadruple of gold medals in Paris, while Coleman, Kerley, and Knighton will also be in their best shape, perhaps it's indeed possible for the Americans.

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