The U. S. 4×400 medley relay team is a must-see The U. S. set a world record on the first day of track and box testing in Paris (0:46).
SAINT-DENIS, France — As Team USA’s sprinters look to use those Olympics to reaffirm their prestige as the world’s fastest, their 4×400-meter medley relay team made a splash on a Friday night.
The team formed by Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Kaylyn Brown and Bryce Deadmon achieved it by easily completing first place in the first of the event, setting a world record with a time of 3:07. 41.
“I knew we were going to run fast,” said Little, the sprinter on the second stage. “And we’ve talked about it, it’s going to take a record to get a medal. But it took a record to win our preliminaries. So I was excited. “
After Norwood began the relay by putting the team in third place, Little took the lead and pulled away, creating a margin so large that no other team came close to cutting it until the end of the race.
However, Little made a mistake in getting Norwood to switch.
“I just thought I had locked myself in,” Little said. “I had to realize that I wasn’t where I intended to be, I’m stuck where I intended to be. I just know that I gained a little momentum, so I can get the Array back and that kind of push I needed. “
When asked, sarcastically, if he intended to do all that, Little replied with a laugh, “Let’s just say we did it that way. “
Little’s dominant leg gave third-string runner Deadmon the distance he needed to maintain the lead before handing the baton to Brown, who finished the record run with the current runner more than 40 yards behind. Deadmon said he had no idea of a record potentially at stake when he began his sprint.
“I knew we were up there,” Deadmon said. “I passed it to Kaylyn and she took it home and it said ‘world record’ and she was like, ‘Oh wow. She’s crazy. ‘”
The Americans claimed they knew the world record before the race: “3:08. 80,” they responded in unison when asked. They know it. After all, the previous combined record was set just a year ago at the World Championships thanks to none other than Team USA.
Team USA can aim for another world record and an Olympic gold medal on Saturday night in the relay final. The Dutch and Italian relays finished in the 3 most sensible groups of the first round. The two will also face others in the final.