After the U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team botched a baton handoff that led to their disqualification in Friday’s Olympic final, track and field legend Carl Lewis labeled the performance “completely unacceptable” as he called for an overhaul of the USA Track and Field program.
“It is time to blow up the system,” Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, posted on X on Friday. “This continues to be completely unacceptable. It is clear that EVERYONE at [USA Track and Field] 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.”
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.
— Carl Lewis (@Carl_Lewis) August 9, 2024
U.S. athletes Christian Coleman and teammate Kenny Bednarek collided during the first exchange, which was deemed to have taken place outside the exchange zone and led to the team’s disqualification. The disastrous handoff put the Americans significantly behind, and the team — which also included Kyree King and Fred Kerley — finished seventh before being DQ’d.
Canada won gold while South Africa took silver and Great Britain claimed bronze.
The United States, meanwhile, failed to earn a medal in the event for the fifth consecutive Olympics despite entering as the presumed favorites. They were the fastest qualifiers and the U.S. took gold in its last major international meet at the 2023 World Championships.
“Obviously, it’s a little disappointing, especially for America,” Coleman said after the race. “We wanted to bring it home. We knew we had the speed to do it.”
Andre de Grasse anchors Canada to 4x100m GOLD in Paris! 🇨🇦 #ParisOlympics
📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/uA15jxhZHb
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
The United States has not won a medal in the men’s 4×100 relay since 2004, when Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin, Coby Miller and Maurice Greene won silver at the Athens Olympics. Team USA’s last Olympic gold in the event was in 2000 with Jon Drummond, Bernard Williams, Brian Lewis and Greene.
Lewis posted on X ahead of the race suggesting the coaches should be held responsible if the U.S. failed to medal.
“If [Team USA] wins all relays tomorrow, you talk to the athletes,” he wrote on X on Thursday. “If something happens and they do not sweep. ONLY talk to the coaches. Yes, I said it!!!”
The U.S. women, with Sha’Carri Richardson as the anchor, won gold in the 4×100 relay on Friday at Stade de France. It was the United States women’s 12th Olympic gold medal in the event.
Required reading
(Photo: Carl De Souza /AFP via Getty Images)