U.S. REPRIEVE IN RELAY
The U.S. men have a long history of dicey baton exchanges in the Olympic relays. So do the U.S. women.
Their latest was a first-of-itskind chance to flub one together, which they might have, but they caught a break that gives them a chance to still win a medal.
The country’s difficult history in relay races reappeared in the Olympic debut of the 4x400-meter mixed relay, when the team was disqualified for a bad exchange, only to be reinstated after filing a middle-of-the-night protest that got resolved early Saturday in Japan.
Officials originally ruled that Lynna Irby had positioned herself outside the passing zone when she received the exchange from Elija Godwin in Friday night’s preliminary heat. Later, they overturned that decision on appeal. USA Track and Field announced the change, but did not provide details of what happened. The Dominican Republic also had been disqualified, but was later reinstated.
In the 4x400, officials direct the next group of runners onto the track to try to maintain a semblance of order in the sometimes-crowded exchange zone. Runners can be every bit as attuned to where the officials tell them to line up as to the teammate about to give them the baton.
“Mistakes happen,” Godwin said before the appeal. “We are human. We do make mistakes.”
Because the decision was overturned, Allyson Felix could get a chance to win her record 10th Olympic medal Saturday night. She helped the U.S. win this race in its debut at the world championships two years ago.
If she is placed in the lineup for the final, she can break a tie with Jamaican great Merlene Ottey for the most women’s track medals in Olympic history. Felix will also run next week in the women’s 400 and could have a spot in the women’s 4x400 next weekend.
This was the latest chapter in long string of drama for the U.S. in relays. Much of it has come in the shorter 4x100 relay where the pass is a more technical and time-sensitive move.
A “DQ” at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games marked the ninth time since 1995 the men had botched the relay at a world championships or Olympics.
The women misconnected at the 2004 and 2008 Games and got shut out of the medals.
King: It’s not all about gold
Lilly King thinks it’s time to put the gold medal debate to rest.
King, alongside fellow U.S. swimmer Annie Lazor, won silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke, marking the seventh time two Team USA swimmers medaled in the same event.
The 24-year-old pushed back against the media and American public, who, in her view, often downplay a silver or bronze finish.
“Pardon my French, but the fact that we’re not able to celebrate silver and bronze is bulls--t,” King said.
King previously won two gold medals in 100-meter and the 4x100 medley relay in Rio and won the bronze in the 100meter earlier this week.
King posted a time of 2:19.92, one of the fastest ever recorded. Gold medal winner Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa, however, broke the world record with a scorching time of 2:18.95, less than two hundredths quicker than the previous record.
51 in a row for U.S. women
A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Breanna Stewart added 15 to help the U.S. beat Japan 86-69 in the women’s basketball tournament.
The U.S. has now won 51 consecutive games, going back to the bronze medal game in the 1992 Olympics, although the team has looked far from sharp in its first two games at Saitama Super Arena.
First track gold to Ethiopia
Selemon Barega of Ethiopia won the first track and field gold medal of the Olympics with a victory in the men’s 10,000 meters.
Barega won in 27 minutes, 43.22 seconds to upset world champion and world-record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda. Cheptegei took the silver medal and Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda was third.
BMX racer stable
American BMX racer Connor Fields was awake, stable and awaiting further medical evaluation at the hospital after a violent crash on the first lap of his qualifying heat.
The reigning gold medalist slammed into the turn coming off a jump and was hit by two other riders.