DISQUALIFICATION. America’s men’s 4×100 relay team saw their medal hopes dashed once again, extending a five-Olympics streak of missing the podium. A botched baton exchange between Christian Coleman and Kenny Bednarek derailed their performance. Coleman collided with Bednarek during the handoff, leaving Bednarek, who had just won silver in the 200m, to restart from a complete standstill.

This costly error sparked a wave of criticism but Carl Lewis, the legendary former athlete and current head coach at the University of Houston, took to X to express his frustration and dismay on USATF, saying, “If @teamusa wins all relays tomorrow, you talk to the athletes. If something happens and they do not sweep. ONLY talk to the coaches. Yes, I said it!!!”

Following today’s events, he further added, “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.”

The men’s 4×100 relay team, running without COVID-stricken Noah Lyles, finished seventh, extending Team USA’s frustrating two-decade streak of failures in this event. The team’s disqualification, due to a critical baton exchange error, ignited widespread criticism, with reactions such as “What a disaster for 🇺🇸” and “USA team getting cooked 😅😅” highlighting the ongoing disappointment.

It’s been 20 years since Team USA last earned a medal in this relay, with the last podium finish coming as a silver at the 2004 Athens Games. The last gold was in 2000, and this latest outcome will likely prompt intense scrutiny of the team’s composition and performance.

Noah Lyles, the 100-meter champion, was expected to run but missed out due to COVID-19, though he believed in his teammates’ potential. Kenny Bednarek, who had been focusing on the 200m individual final, was added to the relay team for the final, replacing Courtney Lindsey. Kyree King, running the third leg for the U.S., did his best to close the gap after the baton exchange error. Meanwhile, 100-meter silver medalist Fred Kerley delivered an impressive anchor leg, clocking an exceptional 8.79 seconds.

While, Bednarek’s Olympic campaign ended with a silver medal in the 200m and a seventh-place finish in a dramatic 100-meter dash. Canada, with a fast final leg from Andre De Grasse, took the gold. South Africa the silver. Great Britain the bronze. However, the Team USA women, meanwhile, captured gold in the same event minutes earlier.

Team USA Women’s 4×100 relay team wins gold with season-best time

Team USA women’s 4×100 relay squad won the gold medal, showcasing their dominance with a season-best time of 41.78 seconds. Gabby Thomas, Sha’Carri Richardson, Melissa Jefferson, and Twanisha Terry delivered a standout performance, finishing ahead of Great Britain, which earned silver with a time of 41.85 seconds, and Germany, which took bronze with a season-best 41.97 seconds. Thomas ran a strong third leg and passed the baton to Richardson, who excelled in the anchor leg to secure the win despite the rainy conditions.

Thomas, who also won gold in the 200m earlier in the Olympics, shared her pride, saying, “Passing the baton to Sha’Carri is very special. She is so fast, you know we’re in good hands when she gets her hand on the baton.” This gold is Richardson’s first Olympic medal, following her second-place finish in the 100m. The U.S. women’s relay team’s victory marks a triumphant return to the top of the podium after finishing second in Tokyo, where they were narrowly defeated by a strong Jamaican team. But the same success didn’t extend to the men’s relay team.