The United States men's 4x100 relay team continues to face a prolonged absence from Olympic medal contention, having been disqualified after finishing seventh on Friday.
Canada secured the gold medal with a time of 37.50 seconds,
followed by South Africa in second place at 37.57 seconds, and Great Britain
claiming the bronze with a time of 37.61 seconds. The U.S. team, which has
previously struggled with baton exchanges at the Olympics, encountered similar
difficulties in Paris.
The quartet, consisting of Christian Coleman, Kenny
Bednarek, Kyree King, and Fred Kerley, experienced a problematic handoff
between Coleman and Bednarek.
The exchange was delayed, forcing Bednarek to nearly halt to
receive the baton, resulting in the team being out of position. Consequently,
they were disqualified for passing the baton outside the designated handoff
zone.
Coleman expressed disappointment, stating, "We all are
going to be hard on ourselves... it's a little disappointing, especially for
America, because we wanted to bring it home."
Despite the setback, he emphasized the importance of
perseverance.
Historically, the U.S. men's team has struggled with baton
exchanges, recording 11 instances of dropped batons, disqualifications, or bans
in the Olympics and World Championships since 1995, as reported by Reuters.
The last time the team medaled in the 4x100 relay was during
the 2004 Athens Games, with their most recent gold medal achieved at the 2000
Sydney Olympics. Prior to this series of challenges, Team USA had won this
event 15 times, significantly outpacing any other nation.
Track and field icon Carl Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold
medalist, has called for a comprehensive reform of the program following the
disqualification."
Lewis expressed his frustrations on his X account, stating,
"It is time to dismantle the current system. It is evident that the
primary focus of everyone at USA Track & Field is on personal relationships
rather than achieving victory. No athlete should participate in another relay
until this program undergoes a comprehensive overhaul."
U.S. track star Noah Lyles, who secured gold in the
100-meter dash but contracted COVID-19 on Tuesday, was unable to compete in the
men's relay final due to his illness. However, with a roster of other skilled
sprinters, the U.S. should have been able to secure a medal if the baton
exchanges were executed properly.
"We are all world-class athletes, and I anticipate that
we will all return to the team for the Los Angeles event," Coleman
remarked. "I believe that competing on home soil will instill the
confidence necessary for us to succeed."