The U.S. track and field team placed in the top two of the first heat at the World Track and Field Relays in the Bahamas on Saturday, advancing to four Olympic relays: men's and women's 4×100 meters, women's 4×400 meters, and mixed men's and women's 4×400 meters. obtained the right to participate.
Noah Lyles, who swept the gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m at the World Championships last August, anchored the US men's 4x100m race, won his heat, and the result put him in the lane for the Paris Olympics. They advanced to Sunday's final, where a draw was decided.
Gabby Thomas, a member of the U.S. women's 4×100 meters who won gold at the world championships last August, was also part of the U.S. quartet that won Saturday's 4×100 meter heats.
The United States also won their heats in the women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m. The U.S. men's 4x400m race crossed the finish line first, but was later disqualified due to the World Athletics Federation's rule for “swapping places before takeover.”
World Relay: complete results
The United States will qualify for the Olympics in the men's 4×400 meters if it finishes in the top two in Sunday's repechage, or if it ranks among the top two countries that have not yet qualified in the world rankings as of June 30. can obtain rights. The United States currently leads the rankings until 2023. The World Championship will be won with the fastest time in the world during the Olympic qualifying period.
The United States has competed in every relay in Olympic history, with the exception of the boycotted 1980 Moscow Games, and has the most medals and gold medals in relays.
The Americans who will enter the relay pool for the Paris Olympics will be determined by their individual performances in the 100 meters and 400 meters at the Olympic Trials, which will be held June 21-30 in Eugene, Oregon.
At the Tokyo Games, the United States won gold in the men's and women's 4×400 meters, silver in the women's 4×100, and bronze in the mixed 4×400 in their Olympic debut. The United States lost in the first round in the men's 4×100 meters at the Tokyo Games, and last won an Olympic gold medal in 2000.
A total of 16 countries will qualify for each relay at the Paris Olympics. The first eight members of each relay qualified for Saturday. Six more participants will qualify from Sunday's repechage for each relay. His last two finishers in each event will then qualify based on his June 30th world ranking.
Jamaica, traditionally the United States' main rival in relays, qualified for the Olympic men's 4×100 meters on Saturday.
Jamaica finished third in the men's, women's and mixed 4x400m heats, and fifth in the women's 4x100m heats without star athletes Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herra and Sherica Jackson. was.
Jamaica won the silver medal in the women's 4x100m at the World Championships last August, and even if they do not qualify for the world relay, they are almost certain to qualify for the Olympic women's 4x100m based on the world rankings. Ta.
World Track and Field Relays finals on Sunday at 7pm ET on CNBC, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App, peacock.
Team USA wins in Bahamas women's 4x100m heat
On the first day of the World Track and Field Relays in the Bahamas, the USA team set out in the heat for a dominant 4x100m victory.