USA smashes mixed 4x400m world record, Nigeria sets new African record
The USA mixed 4x400m relay team set the first track and field world record of the Paris 2024 Olympics the quartet of Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kaylyn Brown clocked 3:07.41 to smash the previous mark – set when the USA won the world title in Budapest last year – by more than a second.
Norwood put the US team into an early lead, then Little extended it on the second leg.
Deadmon opened up a significant gap on the chasing pack on leg three, then Brown anchored them to a clear victory, crossing the line more than three seconds ahead of France, who set a national record of 3:10.60. Belgium was third in 3:10.74, also a national record.
Also at the same track, Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team also rewrote their African record in the event as the quartet Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Ifeanyi Ojeli and Patience Okon George ran 3:11.99 to erase the 3:12.87 record they set in May at the World Relays in the Bahamas.
The Nigerians will however not be in the final as they failed to secure one of the three automatic tickets on offer in their heat, and also failed to secure one of the two spots reserved for the fastest losers.
