World Championships: Rabah Yousif proud to raise the bar in London

Middlesbrough's Rabah Yousif says the desire not to let his team-mates down was the major motivation behind his part in Great Britain's 4x400m relay squad winning a bronze medal on the final night of the World Championships in London.
Great Britain's Rabah Yousif celebrates taking bronze in the Men's 4x400m relay final (Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)Great Britain's Rabah Yousif celebrates taking bronze in the Men's 4x400m relay final (Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
Great Britain's Rabah Yousif celebrates taking bronze in the Men's 4x400m relay final (Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Yousif – who was born in Sudan before moving to Britain and settling in Middlesbrough nearly a decade ago – joined Matthew Hudson-Smith, Martyn Rooney and Dwayne Cowan in taking third place behind winners Trinidad and Tobago and second-placed the United States on Sunday night.

It is the second successive world championships that Yousif, 30, has been part of a bronze-medal winning relay squad, and he also has a European title in his locker from three years ago.

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“I have done plenty of world championships and plenty of relays but I felt the pressure for this one because I really didn’t want to let the boys down,” he said.

Great Britain's Men's 4x400m relay final team (left to right) Dwayne Cowan, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Martyn Rooney and Rabah Yousif (Picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire)Great Britain's Men's 4x400m relay final team (left to right) Dwayne Cowan, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Martyn Rooney and Rabah Yousif (Picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire)
Great Britain's Men's 4x400m relay final team (left to right) Dwayne Cowan, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Martyn Rooney and Rabah Yousif (Picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire)

“It was a shaky start in the heats so we needed to come out and make a statement in the final.

“I thought that whatever happened, I wanted to make the boys proud.

“I gave Martyn enough of a lead that he could get us a medal so I am happy.”