The action at the Stade de France had been going little over 75 minutes on Friday night when the United States set the first athletics world record of the Olympic Games in the mixed 4x400m relay rounds.
The relatively new event made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and here in Paris the United States team beat their own world record of 3:08.80 from 2023 with 3:07.41 in the first heat.
It is further proof that the new purple track at the Paris Games is quick. The record came amid a deafening noise, too, although it was mainly directed at the French team who snatched second place behind the Americans in a national record of 3:10.60 ahead of Belgium, who also clocked a national record of 3:10.74 with Jamaica also running a national mark of 3:11.64 in fourth.
The US team saw Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little and Bryce Deadmon on the first three legs before Kaylyn Brown anchored them home.
“We knew what it would take to break the world record,” said Norwood. “Our job is just to come out and execute. Hopefully tomorrow we do it again.”
Amandine Brossier brought home the baton for France as they made the final.
Source: AW
