SAINT-DENIS, France – The U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team faced another setback in their quest for an Olympic medal, as they were disqualified after finishing in seventh place during the event on Friday.
Canada secured the gold medal with a time of 37.50 seconds, while South Africa took silver with 37.57 seconds, and Great Britain claimed bronze with a time of 37.61 seconds.
The U.S. team, which included Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Fred Kerley, encountered issues with their handoff between Coleman and Bednarek. The exchange was poorly timed, leading Bednarek to halt almost completely to accept the baton, leaving the team out of position to complete the relay successfully. As a result, they were disqualified for passing the baton outside of the designated handoff zone.
“Obviously, we all are going to be hard on ourselves. Track and field is an individual sport, so when we come together as a team, that’s the fun part. It’s disappointing, especially for America, because we wanted to bring it home,” Coleman stated to reporters. “It just didn’t happen, but we’re human. We’ve dealt with ups and downs, and we’ll keep our heads down and push forward.”
Historically, regardless of the athletes on the U.S. men’s team, baton exchanges have posed challenges during the Olympics. Since 1995, the U.S. has recorded 11 cases of dropped batons, disqualifications, or bans in major events, including the Olympics and World Championships. The last time the U.S. medaled in the 4×100 relay was during the 2004 Athens Games, with their previous gold medal achievement occurring at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Previously, the U.S. dominated this event with a record 15 victories, outpacing all other nations.
Track and field icon Carl Lewis, who won nine Olympic gold medals, has called for an overhaul of the U.S. track program following the disqualification. “It’s time to blow up the system,” Lewis wrote on X. “It is clear that EVERYONE at USA Track & Field is more focused on relationships than winning. No athlete should compete in a relay until this program is restructured from top to bottom.”
Noah Lyles, who claimed the gold medal in the 100-meter sprint, was unable to participate in the relay final as he contracted COVID-19 earlier in the week. However, the U.S. team had the potential to perform well, considering their depth in sprinting talent if the handoffs had been executed properly.
“All of us are world-class, and I expect everyone to return for the team in LA,” Coleman added. “On home soil, we’ll be able to build the confidence to take it home.”