American line-up wins by over four seconds in a race where multiple records tumbled
The USA team has a habit of winning 4x400m women’s relay gold at the Olympics, and they made it eight in a row with a remarkable performance in Paris that saw victory secured with the second-fastest time ever.
The final event of the 2024 Olympics track programme saw the teams from second to fifth all breaking national records, but the American quartet of Shamier Little, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas and Alexis Holmes combining to clock a North American record of 3:15.27 and win by over four seconds from the Netherlands’ 3:19.50.
Not even the incredible finishing prowess of Femke Bol could claw back the huge lead the champions had established by the final changeover.
The world 400m hurdles champion did take her team from fourth to second, while Amber Anning did well to hold on to bronze medal position, the British team running 3:19.72. She rebuffed the challenge of Ireland, who finished just outside the medals with their national record of 3:19.90.
The race meant that both the USA and Britain were the only nations to win medals in all five of the relay events at the Games.
McLaughlin-Levrone is usually to be found on the anchor leg in the 4x400m team, but the 400m hurdles world record-holder was given the second leg duties this time.
“It was a joint decision between me and the coaches. I knew that if that was the case, I had to do my job. I knew Shamier was going to get me in a good position. I had to open it up. Gabby kept it going and Alexis brought it home. We all just did our parts. We knew it was going to look a little unconventional, but we knew if we did our parts we would be fine.”
Asked whether the world record of 3:15.17, which has stood since the 1988 Games could now fall, she added: “This generation of track and field is on a different level. Everything is improving: including us, the technique and how we prepare. I don’t think anything is impossible at this point, and we continue to prove that every time we step on the track.”
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