WR for USA DMR Team

WR for USA DMR Team

The team of Kyle Merber (1200m), Brycen Spratling (400m), Brandon Johnson (800m) and Ben Blankenship (1600m) improved on the nine-year-old record of Kenya, shaving 0.06 off the world record in the men's distance medley with a time of 9:15.50

the win and the record thanks in no small part to an outstanding last leg by Blankenship in 3:51.24.

Blankenship took over just in front of Kenya and Australia with four laps to go but was almost a second-and-a half outside the world record pace at that point.

He then let Timothy Cheriuyot pass him 200 metres into the first lap and quickly establish a 20-metre lead, as the Kenyan sped through his first 400m in 51.96,

the American held his never and started to reel in his rival.

By the bell, Blankenship was on the shoulder of Cheriuyot and then passed him on the final bend before visibly gritting his teeth down the home straight, well-aware that Cheriuyot was going through the pain barrier as well as both men could see what was happening on the big stadium screen in front of them.

Blankenship, racing in his first major international competition, had enough in the tank to complete his last lap in 56.80. Cheriuyot brought Kenya home 20 metres in second place, clocking 9:17.20.

The American later revealed that he had not been watching the clock over the final metres but had resisted the urge to celebrate before crossing the line, a gesture which could potentially have denied the US team the record and the US a $50,000 bonus.