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WATCH: Christian Coleman and Kenny Bednarek make huge mistake in baton exchange as USA men's 4x100m relay get disqualified at Paris Olympics
The United States men’s 4x100m relay team was disqualified after an awkward baton exchange at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Following the disqualification, the USA will once again return home without a medal, extending a 20-year streak since the 2004 Athens Olympics, where they last earned a silver medal.
The USA team of Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Kyree King, and Courtney Lindsey had earlier dominated the heats of the men’s 4x100m relay with a time of 37.47s. As a result, they were anticipated to win a medal in the event and end their medal drought.
With the Olympic and world champion, Noah Lyles’ absence due to COVID-19, Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Fred Kerley were the athletes in charge of winning the medal for the USA. However, due to an awkward baton exchange between Kenny Bednarek and Christian Coleman, Team USA got disqualified in the finals because of passing the baton outside the takeover zone.
Watch the video of the men’s 4x100m relay race to see the USA athletes stumble during the event here (0.35 onwards).
It was Canada that claimed the gold medal in the men’s 4x100m relay event clocking a season best time of 37.50s. The team comprised the likes of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, and Brendon Rodney, with Andre de Grasse running the anchor leg to hand Canada their second-ever gold medal in the event since bagging it last during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
South Africa bagged a historic silver medal, their first-ever medal in the event, at the Paris Olympics courtesy of an impressive performance by Bayanda Walaza, Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine as they clocked an African record of 37.57s.
Great Britain won the bronze medal in the event, with its members Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchliffe, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, and Zharnel Hughes, recording a season-best performance of 37.61s.
USA women’s 4x100m relay team claim gold at Paris Olympics 2024
Amid the disappointment from the USA men’s 4x100m team, the women’s 4x100m relay team delivered a contrasting result by winning the gold medal with a season-best performance at the Paris Olympics 2024. The team, which comprised Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry, Gabby Thomas, and Sha'Carri Richardson, won in a time of 41.78s.
With this, the USA team also reclaimed the gold medal in the event, having lost to Jamaica at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Great Britain and Germany followed the United States closely to finish with impressive times of 41.85 and 41.97 respectively to bag the silver and bronze.
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