By the time Jenoah Mckiver handed off to anchor Alexis Holmes, Team USA’s margin was unassailable. (KEVIN MORRIS)
AFTER CLOSE (and dramatic) finishes at the last four global championships, the mixed 4 x 400 was won in decisive fashion by the U.S., neutralizing an expected threat from Dutch superstar Femke Bol before it could ever materialize and taking the title by more than a second.
It was a nice moment of redemption after the U.S. was run down by the Netherlands for gold in the Olympics last year (after setting a WR 3:07.41 in the Olympic heats). This time around, a lineup devoid of any athletes competing in individual events in Tokyo — Bryce Deadmon, Lynna Irby-Jackson, Jenoah Mckiver and Alexis Holmes — got the job done, running both the morning prelims and evening final.
The U.S. won the first heat in 3:10.18 over Great Britain (3:10.22) and an African record by South Africa (3:11.16). Belgium (3:10.37) led the way in the second section, ahead of the Netherlands (3:11.11) and Poland (3:11.15).
In the final, Deadmon got out fast in lane 5, closing the stagger on Great Britain’s Lewis Davey, one lane to his outside, coming off the second turn. But it was South Africa that was in the lead after the first exchange, thanks to Gardeo Isaacs, whose 44.57 put him clear of Deadmon (44.98) and Belgium’s Dylan Borlée (44.99). Eugene Omala (45.59) had the Dutch in 5th.
That, it turned out, was the last time the U.S. would be challenged. On the second leg Irby-Jackson wisely used the entire backstretch to cut in, seizing the lead at the 200-meter mark. After a 49.18 split she handed off with a big margin over Poland’s Natalia Bukowiecka (49.91). Lieke Klaver (49.55) moved the Netherlands into 3rd, essentially tied with Belgium’s Imke Vervaet (50.15).
Jenoah Mckiver kept up the pressure for the Americans with a 43.91, the fastest split of the day. Alexander Doom (44.61) moved the Belgians into second, just ahead of Poland, the Netherlands, Great Britain and South Africa, all clustered together.
“It was a bit chaotic in the beginning but that is how we like relays,” said Bol, who was nearly 2 seconds behind Holmes as the anchor leg began. Two years ago Holmes famously ran down Bol (with Bol ultimately falling at the line, dropping the baton and getting disqualified). This time the U.S. relay stalwart was able to cruise home with a 50.73 carry. The Americans’ time of 3:08.80 matched their championship record from Budapest.
Bol (50.06) easily took 2nd, crossing the line in 3:09.96, while Belgium’s Helena Ponette (50.86) — in 5th with 50 meters to go — rallied down the homestretch and out-leaned Poland’s Justyna Święty-Ersetic (50.87) at the line to nab the bronze, 3:10.61 to 3:10.63.
“Our coach told us to make sure we [each] won our leg,” said Irby-Jackson. “I think we all went out there and did that. We always come out with the gold when we do it that way.”
Coming on the heels of Ryan Crouser’s opening night shot win, Holmes noted the quartet had realized another Team USA goal. “We came out here wanting to set the tone for the week and we did just that.”
MIXED 4 x 400 RESULTS
FINAL (September 13)
1. United States 3:08.80 (=5 W, =3 A)
(Bryce Deadmon 44.98, Lynna Irby-Jackson 49.18, Jenoah Mckiver 43.91, Alexis Holmes 50.73);
2. Netherlands 3:09.96
(Eugene Omalla 45.59, Lieke Klaver 49.55, Jonas Phijffers 44.76, Femke Bol 50.06);
3. Belgium 3:10.61
(Dylan Borlée 44.99, Imke Vervaet 50.15, Alexander Doom 44.61, Helena Ponette 50.86);
4. Poland 3:10.63
(Maks Szwed 45.12, Natalia Bukowiecka 49.91, Kajetan Duszyński 44.73, Justyna Święty-Ersetic 50.87);
5. Great Britain 3:10.84
(Lewis Davey 45.73, Emily Newnham 50.12, Toby Harries 44.22, Nicole Yeargin 50.77);
6. South Africa 3:11.89
(Gardeo Isaacs 44.57, Shirley Nekhubui 51.30, Leendert Koekemoer 44.30, Zeney Van Der Walt 51.72);
7. Italy 3:15.82
(Luca Sito 46.04, Anna Polinari 51.22, Vladimir Aceti 46.00, Alice Mangione 52.56);
8. Japan 3:17.53
(Takuho Yoshizu 46.43, Abigail Fuka Ido 53.00, Kenki Imaizumi 45.61, Nanako Matsumoto 52.49).
(lanes: 2. Italy; 3. Japan; 4. South Africa; 5. United States; 6. Great Britain; 7. Netherlands; 8. Belgium; 9. Poland)
(reaction times: 0.170 Italy, 0.172 Japan, 0.175 South Africa, 0.179 United States, 0.183 Great Britain, 0.203 Belgium, 0.238 Netherlands, 0.253 Poland)
Times & Places At Handoffs
Leg 1: 1. South Africa 44.57; 2. United States 44.98; 3. Belgium 44.99; 4. Poland 45.12; 5. Netherlands 45.59; 6. Great Britain 45.73; 7. Italy 46.04; 8. Japan 46.43.
Leg 2: 1. United States 1:34.16; 2. Poland 135.03; 3. tie, Netherlands & Belgium 1:35.14; 5. Great Britain 1:35.85; 6. South Africa 1:35.87; 7. Italy 1:37.26; 8. Japan 1:39.43.
Leg 3: 1. United States 2:18.07; 2. Belgium 2:19.75; 3. Poland 2:19.76; 4. Netherlands 2:19.90; 5. Great Britain 2:20.07; 6. South Africa 2:20.17; 7. Italy 2:23.26; 8. Japan 2:25.04.)
HEATS (September 13)
I–1. United States 3:10.18 (Deadmon 45.07, Irby-Jackson 49.41, Mckiver 44.20, Holmes 51.50); 2. Great Britain 3:10.22; 3. South Africa 3:11.16 NR; 4. Italy 3:11.20; 5. Japan 3:12.08 NR; 6. Ireland 3:13.59; 7. Germany 3:13.61; 8. Jamaica 3:13.96; 9. Canada 3:18.94.
II–1. Belgium 3:10.37; 2. Netherlands 3:11.11); 3. Poland 3:11.15; 4. Spain 3:12.57; 5. Australia 3:13.46; 6. China 3:13.96; 7. France 3:14.02;… dq[lane]—Kenya.
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