With Noah Lyles sidelined due to COVID-19, the spotlight shifted to Christian Coleman, Kenneth Bednarek, Kyree King, and Fred Kerley for the relay team. However, Bednarek’s final event at the 2024 Paris Olympics didn’t go as hoped. The Rice Lake High School graduate, who aimed to end Team USA’s medal drought in the 4×100 relay, faced a disappointing conclusion. Despite their efforts, the team finished seventh and was disqualified after officials ruled that Bednarek received the baton outside his designated zone, marking the event as a “disaster,” as noted by NBC’s announcers.

Despite their efforts to secure their first Olympic gold in the event in 24 years and end a 20-year medal drought, their dreams fell short once again in Paris. So, Coley Harvey took to X to share his thoughts, stating, “The American men and the 4×100 Olympic relay … snakebitten. Another year, another handoff malfunction. This time, it was the exchange from Christian Coleman to Kenny Bednarek on legs 1 and 2.” But what exactly happened?

Even Harvey noted that Christian Coleman was the primary spokesperson when Team USA’s men’s 4×100 team emerged from the mixed zone. Coleman expressed that the team had put in extensive practice and was confident in their abilities. He shared, “We knew what we can do. We came out here and we had the mindset of no risk, no reward, so we went out there and went big. It didn’t happen.”

A botched exchange between lead-off Christian Coleman and Kenny Bednarek spelled disaster for Team USA, extending their streak of missing the podium to five consecutive Olympics. Kenneth Bednarek left his position early, leading to a challenging handoff with Christian Coleman, the first exchange of the relay. The collision during their handoff was a case of “dropping the baton” in the most literal sense, as Coleman crashed into Bednarek, who had just earned silver in the 200 meters on Thursday. This mishap forced Bednarek to start from a complete stop, sealing their fate and leaving the team with a missed opportunity.

Canada clinched the gold with a blazing final leg from Andre De Grasse, while South Africa secured silver and Great Britain took bronze. Despite Kyree King’s best efforts to close the gap on the third leg and a remarkable 8.79-second anchor leg from 100-meter silver medalist Fred Kerley, the U.S. could only manage a seventh-place finish. The mishap during the initial baton exchange left them too far behind to recover. Now the question is when was the last time America won a medal in relays?

How long has it been since the U.S. Men’s 4×100 relay team medaled?

America has not won a medal in the 4×100 relay since 2004, when Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin, Coby Miller, and Maurice Greene earned silver in Athens. Despite a deep pool of talent and Jamaica’s absence, the U.S. continued its Olympic struggles. The troubles arguably began with Noah Lyles contracting COVID-19. Lyles, who anchored the team to victory over Italy and Jamaica at the 2023 World Championships alongside Fred Kerley, Christian Coleman, and Brandon Carnes, was expected to play a key role. Given America’s success in the 100 and 200 meters, where they won two medals in each, the relay team seemed like a sure bet for the podium.

However, the U.S. has faced consistent challenges in the men’s 4×100 relay for two decades, while Canada’s gold medal, their first since Atlanta 1996, adds a new chapter to the relay’s storied history. Bednarek’s participation in the final came after he was added to the team, replacing Courtney Lindsey. Despite his strong individual performance in the 200m, where he secured a silver medal, and his seventh-place finish in the 100m, Bednarek’s relay effort fell short.