U.S. women's relay team makes 4x100 final after controversial baton drop

Allyson Felix (C) and the U.S. women’s 4×100 team got another shot Thursday after dropping the baton during the morning semifinal. (AP)

Allyson Felix’s quick thinking gave the American women’s 4×100-meter relay team life, and their legs did the rest to get them through to a much-anticipated showdown with Jamaica.

After a disastrous qualifying race in which Felix was bumped, dropped the baton and saw the United States finish in last place, it was granted a rerun after a protest and cruised to Friday’s finals by finishing in 41.76 seconds – the second-fastest time in the world this year – on an otherwise-empty track.

Earlier in the day, Felix’s attempted hand off to English Gardner turned ugly when a Brazilian runner’s left arm hit the right arm of Felix, sending her fumbling toward Gardner. Felix couldn’t recover her balance and fruitlessly tossed the baton to Gardner. It landed on the track, and the hopes of a medal seemed to vanish.

Felix told Gardner to pick up the baton and run, knowing that a formal protest could not be filed unless the team finished the race. They did, and the Americans are still alive because of it.