Allyson Felix, the American track and field athlete with the most medals ever, won gold in the 4x400m relay for the U.S. Women's Team at the Tokyo Olympics.Felix ran the second leg with Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad. They won by almost 4 seconds over Poland (3 minutes, 16.85 secs). Jamaica (3:21.24) took bronze.Minutes later, the U.S. men won their first track race gold at the Games with victory in the 4x400 meter relay.This time, there were no bad exchanges. Although the U.S. men did not reach the final of 4x100m relay, the 4x400 team of Michael Cherry and Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon, Rai Benjamin, and Rai Benjamin were able to complete four laps around the Olympic oval in 2 minutes 55.70. The fifth gold medal for the U.S. in the 4x400 relay since 1996 was achieved by Michael Norman, Rai Benjamin, and Bryce Deadmon.The Netherlands won silver with a national record 2:57.18 and Botswana bronzed in 2:57.27.Felix's 11th career Olympic gold medal broke the tie with Carl Lewis for U.S. records. The world record with 12 medals, held by Paavo Nurmi from Finland, is Paavo Nurmi.Felix took bronze in Friday's 400m. Seven of her 11 medals are gold.McLaughlin celebrated her 22nd birthday with this win. It was also another gold for McLaughlin, who had already won gold in the 400-meter hurdles earlier that week (51.46). Their medal count also included Muhammad, who was second in the hurdles, as well as Mu, the teenage winner of the 800.It was not the win that was in question, but the world record of 3:15.17 set at Seoul Games 1988 in the last relay run by the Soviet Union as an Olympic team.The record was already out of reach when Mu received the baton from Muhammad to complete the anchor lap. The win was nevertheless in hand.They hugged and huddled together. Felix, 35, has shared her struggle to get to the Tokyo Olympics. Mu is 19 years old this summer. There's a good chance that she'll need a big case for medals when the Olympics are over.The U.S. has won 26 track and field medals, seven of which were gold. Sunday's only remaining race was the men's marathon.This report was contributed by The Associated Press.
