Despite helping Team USA’s 4×100-meter relay finish third, former Baylor track and field sprinter Trayvon Bromell will have to wait four years for another chance at his first Olympic medal, after the Americans were disqualified in the event final at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Friday.
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Members of the United States team from left, United States’ Justin Gatlin, United States’ Mike Rodgers and United States’ Tyson Gay celebrate after the men’s 4×100-meter relay final during the athletics competitions of the 2016. “It was a nightmare”, said Gatlin, who, along with his teammates, found out about the disqualification while parading the USA flag around the track. The U.S. men didn’t have as much luck. The only reason he didn’t win a gold medal is because he was up against Usain Bolt every time.
“I felt like it was a clean exchange going through the zone”, Gatlin told Johnson after watching a video replay.
However, they were disqualified shortly after the race after a faulty pass of the baton between the first and second runner, gifting the bronze medal to Canada.
“It’s always something weird, stupid, simple mistakes that always cost us and I don’t understand”, said Gay, who cost the USA another medal, its silver from the London Olympics, because of a doping positive.
It marked the ninth time since 1995 the US men have been disqualified or failed to get the baton around at Olympics or world championships.
For a look at the rules of passing the baton, which must occur in a 20-meter “exchange zone” read this thorough explainer.
“It was the twilight zone. Simple mistakes always cost us”. All that hard work just crumbles. “Passing of the baton outside the takeover zone shall result in disqualification”.
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With the U.S. flags draped over their shoulders, the TV cameras captured the moment when Rodgers, Gatlin and Gay discovered that the bronze medal had slipped from their grasp.
