The United States broke their own world record in the 4×400 mixed relay during the opening heats at the Paris Olympics. Team USA crossed the finish line in an impressive time of three minutes 7.41 seconds, shattering their previous mark of 3:08.80 set at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
The American team delivered a textbook performance on the purple track of the Stade de France, taking the lead midway through the second lap. Their dominant run set the tone in a fast field where four national records were also broken.
Shamier Little, a member of the record-setting team, commented on their performance: “I always knew we were going to run fast, and we talked about how it was going to take a record to win a medal. It took a record to win our prelim.”
The French team, buoyed by a partisan home crowd, finished second with a time of 3:10.60. They held off strong challenges from Belgium (3:10.74) and Jamaica (3:11.06) in this rarely contested event. The enthusiastic French supporters had to be shushed as they chanted for their team, creating a vibrant atmosphere on the first day of the athletics programme.
Little pulled ahead for the US during her leg, with Bryce Deadmon extending the lead further. This commanding performance helped the Americans avoid the drama they faced three years ago when they were initially disqualified from the Olympic final before being reinstated due to an official’s error, ultimately claiming bronze.
The world record-breaking run in the heats sets a high bar for the final and demonstrates Team USA’s determination to secure gold in this event. As the athletics competition continues at the Paris Olympics, all eyes will be on the American team to see if they can replicate or even improve upon this stellar performance in the final.
