Track and Field Day 2: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce aims for history in Women’s 100m Final

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Track and Field Day 2: U.S. 4x400m Mixed Relay Wins Bronze, Jamaica sweeps 100m Podium

History was made on Saturday morning as the U.S. won the first Olympic bronze medal in the 4x400m mixed relay. Jamaica swept the women’s 100m podium in Sha’Carri Richardson’s absence and Athing Mu looks like the next gold medal winner in the women’s 800m.

Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday morning’s track and field action.

Mixed 4x400m Relay Team Wins Bronze

The U.S. mixed 4x400m relay team of Trevor Stewart, Kendall Ellis, Kaylin Whitney, Vernon Norwood won bronze Sunday morning with a time of 3:10.22.

The U.S was able to compete after successfully appealing a disqualification in the preliminary heat. The U.S. was initially disqualified for an exchange zone foul on the first handoff from Elijah Godwin to Lynna Irby. But in the appeal, officials determined that Irby was placed in the wrong position by a race official, leading to the foul. Neither Irby nor Godwin ran in Saturday’s bronze-winning final.

Allyson Felix, who competed on the U.S. world record 4×400 mixed relay team in 2019, did not participate in the relay in Tokyo.

Elaine Thompson Herah stuns Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as Jamaica sweeps 100m podium

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson Herah cemented her legacy as one of the greatest sprinters of all-time Saturday morning.Thompson Herah, crossed the finish line in 10.61 seconds, breaking Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old Olympic record in the process.

Thompson Herah now holds the second-fastest time ever.Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce holds the third after she ran a 10.63-second time in June. Frasier Pryce took home the silver medal with a 10.74-second time and Shericka Jackson took the bronze with a personal best time of 10.76 seconds giving the Jamaicans a clean sweep of the podium.

Richardson was considered to be the main threat for Fraser Pryce and Thompson Herah in the 100m race but was left off the U.S. Olympic team roster after a positive test for THC. Teahna Daniels represented the U.S. in the 100m final and finished with a time of 11.02 seconds.Thompson Herah and Fraser-Pryce will compete for Jamaica in the women’s 4x100m relay. 

All three Americans advance to men’s 100m semifinals

Trayvon Bromell, who is expected to contend for a gold medal in Tokyo, finished fourth in his heat in the men’s 100m round 1, but still advanced to the semifinals as the fastest of the non-automatic qualifying sprinters.

Bromell ran a 10.05-second time, slower than the top three sprinters in his heat. Bromell holds the world-leading mark this year, running a 9.77-second time in June.Ronnie Baker was the first man to cross the finish line with a 10.03 seconds time in round 1 of the men’s 100m. Baker qualified for the Olympics finishing second to Trayvon Bromell and could see his teammate soon with another good run in the semifinal.

Fred Kerley finished second in the fifth heat of the men’s 100m round 1 with a time of 9.97 seconds. Kerley ran just behind Canada’s Andre de Grasse who had a 9.91 second time. de Grasse took home bronze in the 100m in 2016 with a personal best of 9.91 seconds.

Athing Mu cruises to women’s 800m final

Athing Mu looks like the woman to beat in the women’s 800m final. Mu finished the fastest in the second heat of the semifinals with a time of 1:58.07.

Mu continued to set the pace for the other women in the event and could end up winning gold when the final begins on Aug. 3

Rayven Rogers will also join Mu in the final after running a 1:59.28 in the third semifinal heat

Ajee Wilson was eliminated from the competition after finishing fourth in the first heat of the semifinals with a time of 2:00.79.

JuVaughn Harrison advances men’s long jump final

JuVaughn Harrison is the only American that will compete in the men’s long jump final on Aug. 2. Harrison qualified for the final with an 8.02-meter jump, the second farthest in his group.

Harrison is the first American since Jim Thorpe in 1912 to compete in both the Olympic long jump and high jump. Steffin McCarter and Marquis Dendy both failed to make the final with jumps of 7.92 meters and 7.85 meters respectively.

World champion Dina Asher-Smith withdraws from 200m with injury

Reigning 200m world champion Dina Asher-Smith was forced to withdraw from 200m event due to a hamstring injury.

Asher-Smith narrowly missed out on the 100m final and was named captain of Britain’s track and field team. Asher-Smith was expected to contend for a gold medal against American Gabby Thomas. 

Sweden goes 1-2 in men’s discus final

Sweden’s Daniel Stahl and Simon Pettersson finished as the top two men on the podium in the men’s discus final. Stahl had a 68.9 throw on his second attempt to secure the lead and never looked back. Petterson was the only one to come close to Stahl with a 67.39 throw.

Austria’s Lukas Weisshaidinger won bronze with a best throw of 67.07 meters.

American Sam Mattis finished eighth in the men’s discus final with a season-best throw of 63.88 meters. The 27-year-old turned down a job offer on Wall Street to pursue a career in the discus. He finished sixth in Group A on Thursday.

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