Olympics 2012: Pick of the Day - Men's 4 x 400 Relay Final
A big performance from the crowd could help Britain to an Olympic medal, while Oscar Pistorius might just become the first leg amputee to win one
There are few more thrilling spectacles at the Olympics than the relays, spread across the closing days of the athletics programme. And this time, South Africa's Oscar Pistorius has a tilt at Games history. His participation in the individual 400m will stamp him as the first leg amputee to compete at the Games, and in the 4 x 400m relay he could become the first to win a medal. He helped his nation to silver behind the USA at last year's world championships.
Britain have won the men’s 4 x 400m relay twice, although the most recent success was in front of Hitler at the 1936 Games in Berlin. They have left without a medal at each of the past three Olympics, but this time the prospects are brighter.
Martyn Rooney and world champion hurdler Dai Greene are the stand-out performers in the home line-up and, in one of the showcase events of any Olympic Games, the backing of the crowd could add vital weight to their chances. The USA have won six of the past seven gold medals and will be tough to overhaul once again. Mike Costello
The Men’s 4 x 400m Relay Final is at 9:20pm on BBC1 and BBC Olympics 1
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