The U.S. has always dominated track and field on paper, though relay races have been proving otherwise! Although the country boasts some of the fastest athletes in the world, there have been baton mishaps and last-minute team selections at major championships. Now, USATF is trying to change that. After all, the LA 2028 Olympics will be hosted on home soil, and with this, the federation has unveiled a new plan with the sole objective of winning gold in all Olympic relay events.

The USATF introduced a new relay strategy called the “One Team” initiative, a program meant to strengthen the United States relay squads over the next few seasons. Under this plan, relay teams will be treated as a dedicated national unit rather than groups put together shortly before major championships.

As explained in detail shared by Travis Miller on X, “Athletes will be chosen based on factors including recent performance, prior international relay experience, and availability for each event. Each competition will be precluded by mandatory practice sessions in the days prior to the event.”

So, the selection process of USATF will be focused on three main areas. Well, this approach seems to be designed to reduce the kind of errors that have hurt U.S. relay teams in high-pressure moments. As part of the program, relay athletes are expected to compete together at several major meets throughout the season.

Among the key competitions listed for 2026 are the World Athletics Indoor Championships, where both mixed and single gender 4×400 meter relays will be contested. Other stops include the Florida Relays and the Tom Jones Memorial, which are expected to feature mixed 4×100-meter relays only. The schedule also includes the World Athletics U20 Championships, where all 4×400 meter relay events will be contested, as well as the World Athletics Championships later in the season.

Interestingly, this move by USATF also comes as the Olympic relay program itself expands. By the time the Los Angeles Games arrive, athletics is expected to include six relay medal events. These are the men’s 4×100 meter relay, women’s 4×100 meter relay, mixed 4×100 meter relay, men’s 4×400 meter relay, women’s 4×400 meter relay, and mixed 4×400 meter relay.

One of the most interesting additions is the mixed 4×100-meter relay. In this race, male and female sprinters compete together on the same team. For USATF, the “One Team” concept is not just about fixing baton problems. It represents a long-term Olympic strategy to win 6 gold medals.

However, this strategy came after a disappointing moment for the U.S. men’s 4×100-meter relay team at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Paris Olympics relay disaster exposes flaws in Team USA’s old selection system

Before the new relay strategy, the selection process used by USATF was far less structured and often finalized close to major competitions.

The relay pool was usually built out of already existing athletes who were already competing in individual sprint events. Athletes competing in the 100 m or 400 m at world championships were typically the direct nominees to compete in the 4×100 m and 4×400 m relays. Coaches and a selection committee would then determine the final lineup from that pool.

Due to the fact that the system was based on several officials and on-the-fly decisions, the process used to be ambiguous. Teams were sometimes assembled only days before the race, leaving little time for athletes to train together. And that lack of preparation has often created problems for the United States in relay events.

That issue became clear at the 2024 Summer Olympics when the U.S men’s 4×100 meter relay team faced a big blow in the final.

The American team included Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Fred Kerley. During the race, the problem happened during the first baton exchange between Coleman and Bednarek. Bednarek started running too early, and when Coleman tried to hand over the baton, the two collided slightly, and the exchange happened outside the legal exchange zone.

Since relay rules require the baton to be exchanged within a designated area, the United States was disqualified from the race. Although the team crossed the finish line in seventh place, the result did not count.

But this moment highlighted the long-running struggles of the U.S. men’s 4×100 meter relay team, which has faced multiple baton errors and disqualifications over the past two decades. That history is a major reason USATF is now introducing a more structured relay system!