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BEIJING, China (CMC) - Unaccustomed to such failure, Jamaica were left searching for answers after they finished last in the Men's 4x400 metres relay at the Bird's Nest Stadium yesterday.
"It was a tough race. We ran out of lane nine so it was hard to get a good start and second leg. I got the stick and did the best I could but the other teams were just too far in front and it was just hard to play catch up," said Sanjay Ayre, who ran a difficult third leg.
Jamaica could only watch as United States took gold in the event in a time of 2:55.39 minutes, with the Bahamas second and the Russian Federation third.
Ayre, who won bronze in the 4x400 relay at the Sydney Olympics and at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, said he believed quarter-milers in the country were going through a difficult phase.
"It's just been a few off years for the 400 metres runners. You look back like eight years ago, the 400 metres was dominating and now the 100 metres guys are dominating, so I just think it's a change in era," he reasoned.
"You have some good young ones coming up and I just think in two or three years, things will get better."
Lansford Spence, a member of the bronze medal team in Helsinki three years ago, said he was not too downcast by the result.
"I look at it as a positive because it's not the best 4x4 team we've got. the 4x4 guys need to step up because the 100 metres guys they are taking over now and the quarter-milers are stepping back so we've got to do something by next year and get back the 4x4 together," he contended.
"We have to go hard and train and prepare ourselves mentally and be physically ready for the competition coming up next year.
"I look back at it as experience because this is my first one. I did knee surgery back in November and started training back in March, made the team. I feel pretty proud of myself."
"It was a tough race. We ran out of lane nine so it was hard to get a good start and second leg. I got the stick and did the best I could but the other teams were just too far in front and it was just hard to play catch up," said Sanjay Ayre, who ran a difficult third leg.
Jamaica could only watch as United States took gold in the event in a time of 2:55.39 minutes, with the Bahamas second and the Russian Federation third.
Ayre, who won bronze in the 4x400 relay at the Sydney Olympics and at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, said he believed quarter-milers in the country were going through a difficult phase.
"It's just been a few off years for the 400 metres runners. You look back like eight years ago, the 400 metres was dominating and now the 100 metres guys are dominating, so I just think it's a change in era," he reasoned.
"You have some good young ones coming up and I just think in two or three years, things will get better."
Lansford Spence, a member of the bronze medal team in Helsinki three years ago, said he was not too downcast by the result.
"I look at it as a positive because it's not the best 4x4 team we've got. the 4x4 guys need to step up because the 100 metres guys they are taking over now and the quarter-milers are stepping back so we've got to do something by next year and get back the 4x4 together," he contended.
"We have to go hard and train and prepare ourselves mentally and be physically ready for the competition coming up next year.
"I look back at it as experience because this is my first one. I did knee surgery back in November and started training back in March, made the team. I feel pretty proud of myself."
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