Jefferson, Terry, Thomas and Richardson Deliver USA's 12th Gold in Women's 4x100, While Coleman, Bednarek, King and Kerley DQ'd; Canada Wins First Gold Since 1996; Marileidy Paulino Wins Dominican Republic's First Gold; Beatrice Chebet Wins 10,000

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos By USA TODAY Sports

SAINT-DENIS, France – Team USA will head to the Los Angeles Olympics without having won a gold medal in the men’s 4x100 relay in 28 years.

The Americans have whiffed more badly than Mark Reynolds, who struck out a record 223 times for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009.

At least he hit 44 home runs and could hold onto the stick.

Shockingly, the United States hasn’t even made the podium in the 4x100 at the past three Olympics.

However, the women did come through, thanks to Sha’Carri Richardson passing two runners on the anchor leg Friday night at the Paris Olympics. The first three legs featured Melissa Jefferson, TeeTee Terry and Gabby Thomas, who earned her second gold medal.

That gold, plus one by Rai Benjamin in the 400-meter hurdles (see separate story), increased the United States’ medal count to 29 – 11 gold, 10 silver, 8 bronze. If the Americans win four more, they will have the most at an Olympics on foreign soil since Stockholm 1912.

The most the United States has won at the Olympic Games were 40 in 1984 and 35 in 1932, both at Los Angeles, where the games will return in 2028.

On the men’s first exchange, Christian Coleman ran up on Kenny Bednarek so the two were next to each other. Bednarek clutched the baton, but out of the zone. Kyree King and Fred Kerley ran the last two legs, bringing the team to a futile seventh before disqualification.

“It just didn’t happen. We could’ve put in more work, it just didn’t happen,” Coleman said. “We practiced a lot. Me and Kenny have been on the team a few times, and we felt really confident going out there.

“It just didn’t happen this time. It’s part of the sport.”

Coleman said he expects the Americans to “bring it all home” in Los Angeles.

Omitted from the team was Noah Lyles, who announced after Thursday’s 200 meters he was diagnosed with COVID-19. He anchored Team USA to a gold medal in last year’s World Championships at Budapest, Hungary.

Rain was falling during the race, but Kerley said it had no influence on outcome.

"We didn’t get the job done. I don't think we’re disappointed,” he said. “I think we’ve just got to learn from this and keep on going."

Anchored by Andre De Grasse, the Canadians won the gold medal in a time of 37.50 seconds.

Canada’s gold matched the one from 1996, when the anchor was 100-meter gold medalist Donovan Bailey.

First three legs were run by Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney.

“We’ve talked about this moment for years,” DeGrasse said. “It feels good to bring it to fruition.”

South Africa took silver in 37.57 and Great Britain bronze in 37.61.

After months of pre-Olympics hype, Richardson is leaving with a gold medal after all after finishing second in the 100 final.

The United States’ time was 41.78, with Great Britain taking silver in 41.85 and Germany earning bronze in 41.97. It was the Germans’ first medal in this event since a silver by East Germany in 1988.

The Americans’ last exchange was Thomas to Richardson, as it was at Budapest.

"I just remember trusting my third leg, trusting Gabby (Thomas) and knowing that she’s going to put this thing in my hand no matter what, and to leave my best on the track,” Richardson said. “I was very comfortable with these ladies.”

Elsewhere, in the 400 meters, Marileidy Paulino became the first woman from the Dominican Republic to win a gold medal in any sport. She set an Olympic record of 48.17, breaking the record of 48.25 set by France’s Marie-Jose Perec at Atlanta 1996. Paulino climbed to No. 4 on the all-time list.

Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, who served a doping ban after winning a 2019 world title in 48.14, was silver medalist in 48.53. Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek overtook Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke down the stretch for bronze in 48.98. Kaczmark became the first Pole to medal since Irena Szewinska’s gold in 1976.

Past and present collegians took the next three placings: Adeleke (Texas), 49.28; Amber Anning (Arkansas), 49.29, a British record; Alexis Holmes (Kentucky), 49.77.

Also on the track, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet completed a distance double by winning a tactical 10,000 meters in 30:43.25. Thirteen women were clumped together with a kilometer left, and eight on the bell lap.

Chebet had won the 5,000 over teammate Faith Kipyegon, who was initially disqualified but later reinstated to silver.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, who had a medal because of Kipyegon’s disqualification and then lost it in the 5,000, gets one after all. She took silver in a national record 30:43.35 for the Italians.

The Netherlands’ Siffan Hassan, lagging at the back as she always does, kicked too late, but nonetheless won a second bronze in 30:44.12 at the Paris Games. It was her fifth medal at the past two Olympics – including 5k/10K gold at Tokyo.  She will complete her “Zatopek” in the marathon Sunday.

Americans Weini Kelati, Karissa Schweizer and Parker Valby were eighth, ninth and 11th, respectively.

In the heptathlon, Nafi Thiam became the first to win gold medals in three successive Olympics in combined events.

The 29-year-old Belgian scored 6,880 points to 31-year-old Katarina Johnson-Thompson's total of 6,844 for Great Britain. The silver was KJT’s first Olympic medal.

Noor Vidts, also of Belgium, was the bronze medalist with 6,707. Anna Hall, 23, after earning bronze and silver medals at the last two world championships, was fifth with 6,615.

The men’s triple jump was a sweep by Cuban-born athletes, but none of them representing Cuba.

Spain’s Juan Alejandro Diaz Fortun took gold with a mark of 58 feet, 7.25 inches (17.86), Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo silver with 58-6.5 (17.84m) and Italy’s Andy Diaz Hernandez bronze with 57-10.5 (17.64m).

Jaydon Hibbert, the Jamaican 19-year-old, was fourth at 57-9.5 (17.61m). U.S. Trials winner Salif Mane of Fairleigh Dickinson was sixth at 57-1.5 (17.41m).

The women’s shot put was as tumultuous as it gets.

First, reigning world champion Chase Ealey failed to get out of qualifying. Then, in the final, neither 2021 silver medalist Raven Saunders nor world indoor champion Sarah Mitton of Canada made the cut to eight. Rain fell at the beginning of the competition but soon stopped.

In the end, Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye grabbed gold with a throw of 65-7.5 (20.00m) on her final attempt. She overtook Maddison-Lee Wesche, a New Zealander who was second at 64-6.5 (19.68m). Valerie Adams had medaled for the Kiwis in the previous four Olympics.

China’s Song Jiayuan overtook collegiate record-holder Jaida Ross of Oregon for bronze with a distance of 63-4.75 (19.32m). Through three rounds, Ross was in bronze position at 63-3.25 (19.28m) and the top American.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.