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Here's Why The U.S. Men's 4x100m Relay Olympics Team Was Disqualified

The U.S. men’s 4x100-meter relay team did it again.

Sprinters Kenny Bednarek, Tre King, Fred Kerley, and Christian Coleman of USA in track uniforms during a relay race at a sporting event
Richard Heathcote / Getty Images

The squad botched a baton pass and was disqualified from the Paris Olympics final on Friday.

Second leg Kenny Bednarek took off too soon and then had to slow down to receive Christian Coleman’s handoff as they collided, dooming the Americans to another disappointment in the event.

Athletes from different countries including USA, France, and RSA are mid-race on a track, all fully focused on their stride. Spectators and officials watch from the sidelines
Patrick Smith / Getty Images

The U.S. hasn’t won a medal in the event in 20 years, and it’s been 24 years since they won gold.

Canada won in 37.50 seconds, followed by South Africa (37.57) and Great Britain (37.61).

Andre De Grasse, wearing a Canada jersey and sunglasses, spreads his arms in celebration while holding a baton at a track and field event
KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images

Even without 100-meter gold medalist Noah Lyles, who sat out the relay after contracting COVID-19, the Americans had more than enough firepower to win.

All they needed to do was smoothly move the baton around the track.

That’s been a tall order in recent Summer Games.

The U.S. had baton issues while finishing sixth in a preliminary heat in the 2021 Games and didn’t make the final. In 2016 they were plagued by an illegal handoff. In 2008 they dropped the baton in the first round.

It was the kind of history the Americans certainly didn’t want to repeat in Paris.

NBC / Via x.com

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.