The Australian men’s 4x400m relay team have been disqualified at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after an illegal handover, minutes after they had seemingly smashed a 41-year-old national record.
The team of Cooper Sherman, Reece Holder, Aidan Murphy and Tom Reynolds crossed the line third in the fastest of the two heats in 2:58.00.
The time was the third fastest overall and would have seen Australia qualify automatically for Sunday’s final.
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But they were disqualified after third-leg runner Murphy was deemed to have stepped over the line before accepting the baton from Holder.
Australian officials lodged an appeal, which was dismissed.
“Oh no. Oh god. We’re going to get disqualified,” Tamsyn Manou said on SBS.
“This is devastating. He just put his leg on the wrong side.
“Aidan’s not experienced at 4x400 but they have practised it.”
Had the time stood, it would have bettered the previous record of 2:59.70 set way back at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, when an Australian team including national 400m record holder Darren Clark and 1980 Olympic silver medallist Rick Mitchell finished fourth in the final.
The news was better for the men’s 4x100m team, anchored by Rohan Browning, which progressed to Sunday’s final as the fastest of the two non-automatic qualifiers in 38.21 seconds.
A stacked Jamaican team including 100m individual champion Oblique Seville was disqualified after botching the final changeover.
The Australian women’s 4x100m team made a mess of their first changeover and the women’s 4x400m squad also failed to advance.
Beatrice Chebet blew past Faith Kipyegon in the final straight of the women’s 5000m to win the battle of the Kenyan superstars in 14:54.36.
Australians Rose Davies and Linden Hall were 10th and 11th.
Camryn Newton-Smith and Tori West were 16th and 17th in a heptathlon won by American Anna Hall with 6888 points.
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