Razorbacks End Paris Games Striking Gold with Relay Magic

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PARIS — Arkansas' contingent ended the 2024 Paris Olympics in grand fashion with three different Razorbacks picking up medals. The U.S struck gold in both the men's and women's 4x400 meter relay. Chris Bailey ran the second leg of the final after running leadoff Friday.
Rai Benjamin holds off Letsile Tebogo to anchor Team USA to gold in the 4x400m relay! #ParisOlympics
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024
📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/MhJbrRH43D
The American team of Bailey, Rai Benjamin, Vernon Norwood and Bryce Deadmon crossed the finish line just 0.10 seconds ahead of Botswana in a new Olympic record time of 2:54.43. Great Britain rounded out the podium in third. For Bailey, it's his first Olympic medal after finishing sixth in the individual 400 meters.
On the women's side, Kaylyn Brown ran the second leg in the heats of the women's 4x400 before being subbed out in the final by Alexis Holmes, who also trains in Fayetteville.
Team USA DOMINATES the women’s 4x400m final to win their EIGHTH consecutive gold! 🇺🇸 #ParisOlympics
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024
📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/TqHh7HEehu
It's redemption for Brown after being chased down in the final meters of the mixed relay by Femke Bol. Despite not running in the final, she will still be credited with a gold medal. The team of Holmes, Gabby Thomas, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Shamir Little finished the final with a time of 3:15.27, nearly 4.5 seconds ahead of Netherlands in silver.
Meanwhile Amber Anning, who was subbed in to run the third leg of the final, helped Great Britain to another bronze medal, adding to the bronze she already had from the mixed relay.
Below is the final medal table for the Razorback contingent, if Arkansas were its own delegation, it would rank in a tie for 30th for most total medals.
Gold (3):
Roje Stona (Discus)
Chris Bailey (men's 4x400 relay)
Kaylyn Brown (women's 4x400 relay)
Silver (2):
Kaylyn Brown (4x400 mixed relay)
Wayne Pinnock (Long Jump)
Bronze (2)
Amber Anning x2 (4x400 mixed relay, women's 4x400 relay)
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Covers baseball, football and basketball for Arkansas Razorback on SI since 2023, previously writing for FanSided. Currently a student at the University of Arkansas. He’s been repeatedly jaded by the Los Angeles Angels since 2014. Probably silently humming along to whatever the band is playing in the press box. Follow me on X: @dsh12