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Photo courtesy of Athletics Canada
Canada Disqualified

Lane violation disqualifies Watson, Canadian relay team at World Championships

Oct 6, 2019 | 6:28 PM

DOHA, QATAR – It wasn’t the way Sage Watson or her Canadian teammates envisioned their IAAF World Athletics Championships would come to a close.

Competing in her final event at the World Championships, Watson and Team Canada were disqualified following a lane violation in the final of the women’s 4×400 metre relay.

The lane infringement came during the first exchange between Alicia Brown and Aiyanna-Brigitte Stiverne, resulting in a last place finish for the Canadians in the event.

Prior to the official review, Canada had earned a fifth place finish with a time of 3:25.91.

Watson, from Seven Persons, posted the fastest split on the Canadian team with a time of 50.7 seconds in the anchor leg on Sunday.

The United States earned gold in the women’s 4×400 metre relay, while Poland and Jamaica rounded out the podium.

Watson leaves Doha without a medal at the World Championships as she earned an eighth place finish in the women’s 400 metre hurdles, however she did set the Canadian record with a time of 54.82 seconds in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

Concluding a breakout season for the 25-year-old, Watson won multiple races this summer including gold at the Pan-Am Games in Peru and a Canadian championship in the 400 metre hurdles back in July.

Canada ends the 2019 IAAF World Championships with one silver and four bronze medals, their second best showing ever at the event.