SAINT-DENIS, France – The U.S. men’s Olympic medal drought in the 4×100 relay continues, as they were disqualified after finishing in seventh place on Friday.
Canada claimed the top spot with a time of 37.50, while South Africa secured second place with a close finish of 37.57. Great Britain managed to secure the bronze medal, crossing the line at 37.61.
Team USA once again faced the issue of botched handoffs in Paris, which has been a recurring problem in previous Olympics.
The team, consisting of Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Fred Kerley, had a mishap during the handoff between Coleman and Bednarek. The exchange was delayed, causing Bednarek to come to a near stop in order to accept the baton. Upon receiving it, the U.S. team was already in a disadvantageous position.
The team was later disqualified for an infraction during the relay race, as Coleman passed the baton outside of the designated handoff zone.
“Naturally, we tend to be critical of ourselves.” Track and field is an individual sport, allowing sprinters to focus on their own performance. When we collaborate as a team, that’s the enjoyable aspect of it. It’s quite disappointing, particularly for America, as we had high hopes of achieving victory and hosting the event. We were confident in our abilities and believed we had the necessary speed to succeed,” Coleman expressed to reporters. “It simply didn’t occur, but we are also human beings.” We’ve experienced both successes and challenges in life. This is another instance where we need to maintain focus and persevere.
The U.S. men’s team has consistently faced challenges with baton exchanges at the Olympics, regardless of the runners involved.
According to Reuters, the U.S. has experienced 11 instances of dropped batons, disqualifications, or bans in the Olympics and World Championships since 1995. The team has not achieved a medal in the 4×100 relay event since securing the silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games. The team achieved their most recent gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Before these consecutive failures, Team USA dominated this event, winning it 15 times, which is a remarkable 13 times more than any other nation.
After the disqualification, track and field legend Carl Lewis, who won nine Olympic gold medals, expressed the need for a thorough program overhaul.
“It’s time to disrupt the system,” Lewis posted from his X account. “It is evident that the focus at (USA Track & Field) is more on building relationships rather than prioritizing winning.” No athlete must participate in another relay until this program undergoes a complete overhaul.
U.S. track star Noah Lyles, who achieved gold in the 100-meter dash and later contracted COVID-19 on Tuesday, was unable to participate in the men’s relay final due to his illness. However, considering the team’s strong lineup of talented sprinters, the United States should not have been reliant on Lyles to secure a medal, provided that the handoffs were executed smoothly.
“All of us are highly skilled, and I anticipate that all of us will be rejoining the team in LA,” Coleman said. “I believe that with the advantage of playing on our turf, we will have the necessary confidence to secure victory.”
