Athletics: Russia wins women's Olympic 4x100 relay in upset
Associated Press
BEIJING — Russia has won the women's 4x100-meter relay in an upset after favorite Jamaica had a mixup at the second change.
Russia won in 42.31 seconds, with world championship bronze medalist Belgium getting silver and Nigeria picking up bronze in Friday's final.
Russia qualified fastest for the final in a national record 41.49.
But the powerful Jamaican team, featuring two-time Olympic 200-meter champion Veronica Campbell-Brown and led off by 100-meter champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, was aiming for a fifth straight sprint gold medal in Beijing.
Jamaica won the women's and men's 100- and 200-meter titles — with Usain Bolt winning both men's races in world-record time.
The United States dropped the baton in the heats.
