The U.S. men’s 4×100-meter relay team faced another heartbreaking disappointment, not due to the absence of star sprinter Noah Lyles (who revealed his Covid diagnosis Thursday)–, but because of their ongoing struggle to successfully pass the baton. Despite a lineup of top-tier sprinters like Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Fred Kerley, the team was disqualified after finishing seventh, extending their 20-year medal drought in the event.
Canada shocked everyone by clinching gold with a time of 37.50 seconds, while South Africa and Great Britain took silver and bronze, respectively.
The U.S.’s downfall came during the baton pass between Coleman and Bednarek. Bednarek left too early, forcing him to slow down to avoid a disqualification for passing outside the exchange zone. Unfortunately, they couldn’t avoid the inevitable—the baton was passed outside the legal zone, leading to their disqualification.
This issue isn’t new for the U.S. relay teams. Over the years, they’ve repeatedly struggled with baton exchanges. From dropping the baton in 2008 to botched exchanges in 2016 and 2021, the narrative seems to remain the same.
Noah Lyles, who was eyeing a historic third gold medal at the Paris Olympics, wasn’t able to compete due to testing positive for COVID-19 just two days after his incredible win in the 100 meters.
