In another men’s 4×400 meters relay on Saturday, a butchered handoff exchange hindered
the men from taking the gold medal home. They settled with silver, finishing in 37.55 seconds.
The race was progressing smoothly until the final handoff. Hall, the third runner of the
lineup, struggled to pass the baton to anchor leg Bracy, and fell over after making the pass. This cost the US valuable time and put Canada in the lead to win gold.
This second-place finish was particularly disappointing as it came right after the women’s
4×100 relay team sent the crowd into a frenzy with their gold medal. Melissa Jefferson, Abby
Steiner, Jenna Prandini, and Twanisha Terry finished the race and got the baton around the track without mistake in 41.14 seconds, the third fastest time in history.
“You could have the four fastest women, but if you don’t have chemistry and the baton
doesn’t move through the exchange zone, then what are you doing?” Terry said.
Saturday night’s win was the US women’s second record for the 4×100 meters relay in the
last three years, and the team won gold in the event at two of the last three Olympic Games.
The U.S men’s team, however, have not won gold in the Olympics since 2000. The US was disqualified twice in the five world championships between 2007 and 2019 and won 2 silver medals.
At last summer’s Olympics, the relay team had one of its most embarrassing performances
in recent memory when the men failed to make it into the preliminary heats. There was no issue with the baton or illegal handoff, they just simply did not qualify.
Needless to say, the disappointing finish drew many criticisms, including Carl Lewis, one
of the most well-known track stars in history.
“The USA team did everything wrong in the men’s relay,” Lewis tweeted after the Olympic
race.
the men from taking the gold medal home. They settled with silver, finishing in 37.55 seconds.
The race was progressing smoothly until the final handoff. Hall, the third runner of the
lineup, struggled to pass the baton to anchor leg Bracy, and fell over after making the pass. This cost the US valuable time and put Canada in the lead to win gold.
This second-place finish was particularly disappointing as it came right after the women’s
4×100 relay team sent the crowd into a frenzy with their gold medal. Melissa Jefferson, Abby
Steiner, Jenna Prandini, and Twanisha Terry finished the race and got the baton around the track without mistake in 41.14 seconds, the third fastest time in history.
“You could have the four fastest women, but if you don’t have chemistry and the baton
doesn’t move through the exchange zone, then what are you doing?” Terry said.
Saturday night’s win was the US women’s second record for the 4×100 meters relay in the
last three years, and the team won gold in the event at two of the last three Olympic Games.
The U.S men’s team, however, have not won gold in the Olympics since 2000. The US was disqualified twice in the five world championships between 2007 and 2019 and won 2 silver medals.
At last summer’s Olympics, the relay team had one of its most embarrassing performances
in recent memory when the men failed to make it into the preliminary heats. There was no issue with the baton or illegal handoff, they just simply did not qualify.
Needless to say, the disappointing finish drew many criticisms, including Carl Lewis, one
of the most well-known track stars in history.
“The USA team did everything wrong in the men’s relay,” Lewis tweeted after the Olympic
race.
