The United States continued one of the most impressive dynasties in Olympic history on Saturday afternoon winning an eighth consecutive gold medal in the women's 4x400-meter relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The quartet of Shamier Little, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas and Alexis Holmes broke a 36-year-old American record crossing the finish line in 3:15.27, more than 4 seconds clear of the field.
The virtuoso performance at Stade de France prolonged an American streak dating back to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. With the men's side also winning gold in the 4x400-meter relay just minutes earlier Saturday, the United States swept the event for the third straight Olympics and sixth time in the last eight Summer Games.
The 3:15.27 mark run by the U.S. is the second-fastest time ever behind only the Soviet Union's 3:15.17 in at the 1988 Seoul Games where the U.S. got silver.
The quartet of Little, Quanera Hayes, Shamier Little and Aaliyah Butler qualified first out of the heat round with a season-best 3:21.24 Friday. Only six of 16 teams in the heat races finished within 4 seconds of the Americans.
That race was a mere prelude for Saturday. The Americans reconfigured their lineup with Little starting off and running her leg in 49.48 seconds. She passed off to 400-meter hurdles champion McLaughlin-Levrone, who stretched the lead to more than 20 meters with a blistering 47.71-second leg. Thomas, the champion at 200 meters, followed with a 49.30 before turning it over to Holmes, whose 48.78 helped the Americans finish more than 4 seconds ahead of the Netherlands in second place.
Great Britain rallied to take third, edging out Ireland, which was appearing in its first final.
Holmes picked up a gold medal in her first Olympic apperance, while Little earned silver with the 4x400 mixed relay last weekend.