USA has been disqualified from the 4x100m relay after a botched exchange at the Paris Olympics
The USA went into the men’s 4x100m relay as heavy favourites, but then they lost Noah Lyles and things only got worse from there.
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Sprinting legend Carl Lewis has called for the American system to be blown up after Canada caused one of the shocks of the Olympic Games track and field program on Saturday morning (AEST), toppling the United States in the sprint relay.
Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist who is regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, took to social media after the US were disqualified from the final at Stade de France for exchanging the baton out of their permitted zone..
Shorn of superstar Noah Lyles after he returned a positive test to Covid, the US was forced to rely on their depth to win gold. The pressure took its toll after a slight fumble in an exchange between Chris Coleman and Kenneth Bednarek caused the baton to be passed outside the legal zone.
Lewis, who now coaches at college in America and counts Great Britain star Louie Hinchliffe among his pupils, wasn’t happy.
“It is time to blow up the system,” he wrote.
“This continues to be completely unacceptable. It is clear that EVERYONE at @usatf is more concerned with relationships than winning.
“No athlete should step on the track and run another relay until this program is changed from top to bottom.,”
It is time to blow up the system. This continues to be completely unacceptable. It is clear that EVERYONE at @usatf is more concerned with relationships than winning. No athlete should step on the track and run another relay until this program is changed from top to bottom. https://t.co/Re6THj8QTm
— Carl Lewis (@Carl_Lewis) August 9, 2024
The US cause wasn’t helped by the absence of Lyles, the 100m gold medalist who was diagnosed with Covid earlier this week.
Lyles was sorely missed as the US were left lagging behind - Canada, anchored by Tokyo 100m bronze medalist Andre de Grasse, held off South Africa and Great Britain to win the gold.
Coleman insisted afterwards that they would bounce back in four years in Los Angeles.
“It just didn’t happen,” Coleman said.
“We practised a lot. Me and Kenny have been on the team a few times and we felt really confident going out there.
“It’s part of the sport. We’re all human beings too and we’ve been through ups and downs in life, this is another of those times.
“This is a risk-reward type of thing. We do it on the biggest stage. We’ll bounce back from it, and all of us are world-class.
“I expect all of us to be back on the team in LA.”
Meanwhile, Sha’Carri Richardson finally has some gold. Richardson, the star of Netflix series Sprint and regarded as one of the superstars of the Paris Games before it began, finally finished on top of the podium.
It took the relay to get it done but Richardson didn’t muck around. The American sprint sensation, who finished second in the 100m final behind St Lucia’s Julien Alfred, took the baton in third place but flew home to win the gold for the US.
So comfortable was Richardson in the home stretch, she took the chance to glance to her right as the line approached to ensure she still had a lead.
Great Britain finished in second with Germany in third. The US, however, would not be denied. Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry kicked off the relay by putting the US in position for a medal and then it was over to the team’s two superstars,
Gabby Thomas won gold in the 200 metres only 24 hours earlier and she was handed the baton for the third leg. Spurred on by a FaceTime call from rap superstar Snoop Dog after her gold medal success, Thomas’ run gave Richardson a fighting chance.
Richardson did the rest as she blew away the field to secure her first gold of the Games.
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Originally published as USA has been disqualified from the 4x100m relay after a botched exchange at the Paris Olympics
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