Razorbacks Chased Down in Final Meters, Teammate Wins Bronze

Kaylyn Brown crosses finish line, takes Olympics gold medal back to Fayettevile

Kaylyn Brown (USA) in the 4x400m relay mixed round 1 during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. The U.S won silver in the finals, with the Netherlands taking the gold / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

PARIS — A day after getting their names into the world record books, the U.S. was chased down in the final meters by the Dutch 400-meter hurdles star Femke Bol and were forced to settle for the silver in the final of the 4x400 meter mixed relay. The Netherlands finished with a time of 3:07.43, just two-hundredths off the world record that the U.S. set in the prelims. The same lineup of Vernon Norwood, Shamir Little, Bryce Deadmon and Arkansas anchor Kaylyn Brown finished with a time of 3:07.74.

A relatively new event that was introduced as an Olympic for the first time in 2020, the Dutch team dethroned Poland, the defending Olympic champions, who finished seventh. Bol did not run in the prelims. The substitution proved to be the golden ticket to the gold medal. Bol came home in 47.91, nearly a full second ahead of any other competitor in the anchor leg.

Brown improved on her prelim anchor leg time of 49.5 in the prelims, coming home in with a time of 49.14, and had a slight lead entering the final exchange but Bol tracked her down, completing a personal redemption story for her after falling on the anchor leg at the same event at the 2023 World Championships, also trying to track down the US.

Brown wasn't the only Razorback to feature in the race. Her college teammate Amber Anning ran the anchor for Great Britain after sitting out the prelims. Anning also was caught by Bol down the home stretch despite coming home in a time of 48.81, the fastest of anyone besides Bol.

A busy day for Arkansas at the Olympics, with former Razorback swimmer, and the only Hog at the games, swimming the anchor leg for Great Britain in the 4x100 mixed medley relay. That race starts at 2:58 p.m. and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

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