The United States won the mixed 4x400m at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 tonight, improving their own world record to 3:08.80 after the Netherlands’ world indoor 400m record-holder Femke Bol hit the deck three strides from home, having appeared on the brink of anchoring her team to victory.
Having been handed the baton with a narrow lead, Bol could not hold it to the finish as USA’s Alexis Holmes, gritting her teeth, moved up to challenge her over the final 50 metres. Bol landed very close to the spot where her Dutch teammate Sifan Hassan had fallen face down as she appeared ready to win the preceding women’s 10,000m final.
The new mark set by Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling and Holmes bettered the 3:09.34 set by the United States in winning this event when it made its debut at the Doha 2019 World Championships.
In the end, they did not need the expected addition of individual 200m runner Gabby Thomas to achieve all their objectives.
Great Britain took silver in a national record of 3:11.06, with bronze going to Czechia in 3:11.98 – also a national record.
Credit: World Athletics
