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Women's relay team surprises
The people at Athletics Canada who booked so many passengers on this trip, almost left behind four girls who finished sixth in the world in the 4x100-metre relay as the world championships ended yesterday.
Angela Bailey, Philomena Mensa, Tara Perry and Martha Adusei weren't expected to do anything.
They ended up with the next-best success story for Canada here other than the silver-medal winning performances of Bruny Surin (100 metres) and Mark Boswell (high jump).
"When you consider where they started from ... they had a chance to be here," said Canadian coach Les Gramantik.
"They came here and had a chance to make the semifinal.
'`They made it. And everybody thought they had no chance to make the final.
"They made it and everybody said they'd be eighth.
"What they accomplished here should be great motivation for everybody."
They were a giddy group of girls.
"This is fantastic," said Bailey. This is the best we've done since 1987."
Bailey, the veteran, was easily the most thrilled.
"There were people who didn't think we should be here.
"We have lots of ego. We're sprinters. But we worked it out," she said in reference to the Canadian men who didn't, and weren't running in the final as a result.
"Now we're planning for spots in the world we can go where they've taken the men's teams all these years."
How about the Bahamas? They won the gold, with France taking the silver and Jamaica the bronze.
The Americans, without Marion Jones, finished fourth.
"I think all four (Canadian) relay teams should be in the finals of Edmonton 2001," said Gramantik
"I think that's a goal which is attainable."
The women's and men's 4x400-metre teams failed to make the finals here.
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