The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo commenced with a resounding success for the U.S. team, particularly in the mixed 4×400-meter relay. The American squad successfully defended their gold medal, matching the championship record set two years prior in Budapest. Competing in the final event on September 13, the U.S. team, comprised of Bryce Deadmon, Lyanna Irby-Jackson, Jenoah McKiver, and Alexis Holmes, finished with an impressive time of 3:08.80. They outpaced the Dutch team, which secured the silver medal with a time of 3:09.96, while Belgium completed the podium in 3:10.61.
This victory represents a significant turnaround for the Americans, who were bested by the Netherlands during the Paris Games last summer. Learning from that experience, the U.S. team came into this championship determined not to leave anything to chance. Although South Africa kicked off the race with the fastest opening leg, it was Irby-Jackson’s eye-catching performance, clocking a 49.18 split on the second lap, that solidified the U.S. lead. McKiver maintained the momentum, contributing a strong 43.91 split during the third leg, before handing off to Holmes, who anchored the team with a 50.73 split, fending off a late challenge from Femke Bol of the Netherlands.
After the race, Holmes expressed her gratitude to her teammates, stating, “I definitely wanted to bring it home for my teammates, and I’m glad I got the job done,” highlighting the collective effort behind their success. This latest gold medal marks the U.S. team’s third win in the mixed 4×400-meter relay across four editions of the world championships, reinforcing their dominance in this event.
Despite Poland entering the competition as the world leader, they finished just shy of a medal placement, recording a time of 3:10.63. Great Britain, which had previously claimed silver at the 2023 world championships, placed fifth this time with a time of 3:10.84. The U.S. team’s performance sets a promising tone for the remainder of the championship events, showcasing their resilience and determination on the global stage.
