All the boys in the mixed 4x4 wanted to race against girls
Apr 24, 2017
Team Bahamas won the first-ever edition of the Mixed 4x400m at the IAAF World Relays in 3:14.42, thanks to strong lead-off performances by national 400m record-holder Steven Gardiner and Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who split 44.3 and 49.6, respectively. The unusual event was made even more thrilling by the fact that each country must field two athletes of each gender, but can run a male or female at any time in the race. The United States' Paul Dedewo caught the Bahamas' Anthonique Strachan on the third leg, but then the host country's Michael Mathieu powered past USA's Claudia Francis with a few seconds to spare for the win. The U.S. would run 3:17.29 for second with the aid of Michael Berry and Jaide Stepter on the opening legs. Jamaica placed third in 3:20.26. At the post-event press conference, the athletes reflected on the inaugural race and what was the first and only gold medal of the games for Team Bahamas.
