Olympics: US wins men’s 4x400m relay title

The United States rounded off the track action in the Tokyo Olympics with victory in the men’s 4×400 metres relay on Saturday.

The quartet timed 2min 55.70sec with the Netherlands taking silver in 2:57.18 and Botswana bronze (2:57.27).

The American men were bidding to avoid the ignominy of not winning a gold on the track for the first time in the Games’ 125-year history — barring their boycott year in 1980 — and they left it to the very last event.

The U.S. team of Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon and Rai Benjamin took the lead early and surged ahead of their challengers to take victory in a season’s best 2:55.70.

Netherlands took the silver medal in a national record time of 2:57.18 and Botswana claimed the bronze.

Ryan Crouser, who retained his shot put title on Thursday, was the only gold medallist for the American men in track and field until Saturday’s race.

Reuters/PUNCH/Mercy Chukwudiebere