The United States Track and Field team wasted no time at the Paris Olympics on Friday during the first day of action inside Stade de France.

The USA mixed relay team of Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kaylyn Brown set a new world record of 3:07.41 in the mixed relay over the opening round of action, with each leg moving through their exchange zones and closing meters with absolute precision. 

"I always knew we were going to run fast," Shamier Little said afterward, "and we talked about, you know, it was going to take a record to get a medal but it took a record to win our prelim." 

Norwood led off with a 44.47 split before the lineup fell to Little, Deadmon and Brown. Little split 49.32, while Deadmon followed in 44.17 and Brown closed things in 49.45.

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It was a familiar result from a familiar country on the world stage. 

The United States was the last nation to set the world record, doing so at the World Championships in Budapest last year in 3:08.80 behind the likes of Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling and Alexis Holmes. 

"Overall, I think we did an extreme job of getting out in front with clean exchanges," Vernon Norwood said. 

On Friday, France was second in 3:10.60, while Belgium was third in 3:10.74. 

The United States moved forward to Saturday's final, along with France and Belgium. In the second heat, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Italy secured auto-qualifiers. Jamaica and Poland advanced to the final based on time. 

Deadmon was asked later how the U.S. team was selected. 

"I don't know," he said. "That's something you're going to ask them (the coaches). Stuff like that they don't really discuss with us, which is very understandable."

When Are The Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

The Olympics begin on July 26 and end on August 11. The track and field events will begin on Aug. 1. 

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