Jamaica supreme in men’s 200m and 4x100m

Jamaica is prominent in a recently published list of world records for lanes in the men's 200m and 4x100m.

Led by Usain Bolt, the Caribbean island has the lion's share of the fastest times per lane in statistics appearing this week on the website of the respected US publication Track and Field News.

The list shows that Jason Young, Yohan Blake and Bolt own the fastest 200-metre times ever for lanes two, four, five and seven, respectively, with clockings of 19.86, 19.44, 19.19 and 19.26 seconds.

In a list that pinpoints the best times per lane in the 200m, the 400m, the 400m hurdles and the 4x100m, Jamaica also is shown to have the world records for lanes 4-7 in the relay.

Bolt has played a part in all of the relay times listed by Track and Field News. The latest entry came at the recently concluded Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where Jamaica won the 4x100m in 37.27 seconds from lane four.

The nation's world records of 37.10 and 36.84 seconds are the best times ever run in lanes five and six, respectively. As in Rio, those other two times produced Olympic gold medals for Jamaica and Bolt in 2008 and 2012.

Jamaica also has the best lane seven run. With Bolt on the third leg, Jamaica clicked home in 37.31 seconds to win the 2009 World Championships.

Merlene Ottey is the only Jamaican woman on the 200-metre world record list.  Her national record - 21.64 seconds on September 13, 1991 - is the fastest ever from lane four.

Her countrywomen are far more prominent in the 400-metre hurdles, as Melaine Walker (52.64 and 52.73) and Kaliese Spencer (53.66) have the best times recorded in lanes six, seven and nine, respectively.

The final Jamaican entry on this compilation of world record by lane comes in the women's 4x100 metres. Carrie Russell, Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce clocked 41.29 seconds to win the 2013 World Championships. That performance is the fastest relay circuit done in lane six.