Poinbank Exchange|Team USA wins women's 4x400 for eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal

SAINT-DENIS,Poinbank Exchange France — Gabby Thomas is leaving the 2024 Olympics with the best kind of souvenir: gold. 

Gold medals, to be specific. Three of them. 

Thomas picked up her third in the finale of Olympic track and field Saturday at Stade de France in the women’s 4x400 relay, as the Americans clocked an U.S.-record 3:15.27 to smoke the Netherlands (3:19.50) and Great Britain (3:19.72). 

Thomas ran the third leg, taking the baton from Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and handing off to Alexis Holmes for the anchor. Thomas ran a 49.30 split.

Shamier Little, the only athlete from the final who’d also run in prelims, got the U.S. started with a 49.50.

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McLaughlin-Levrone, who set a world record when she won the 400 hurdles on Thursday, turned in a blistering split at 47.70 to give the Americans a huge lead. Thomas followed with 49.30 split before Holmes brought it home with 48.77.

“It was kind of a joint decision between me and the coaches,” McLaughlin-Levrone said of running the second leg, unusual for someone who usually anchors. “We knew it was gonna look a little unconventional, but we knew if we did our parts it was going to be fun.” 

Running with a major gap between first and second is also uncommon, but Holmes said the energy in Stade de France "was indescribable.  I’ve never felt anything like it so my adrenaline was definitely pumping."

Thomas, 27, also won told in the women’s 200 meter dash and the women’s 4x100. Paris marks the first time she has won Olympic gold medals; in Tokyo she earned a silver (4x100 relay) and bronze (200). 

In the prelims Friday, Quanera Hayes, Little, Aaliyah Butler and Kaylyn Brown turned in the fastest qualifying time (3:21.44). McLaughlin-Levrone, Thomas and Holmes ran in only the final. All seven runners who competed for the U.S. will get medals.

The U.S. women’s have dominated the 4x400 relay, winning eight golds in a row in the event. When Team USA won it in Tokyo it gave the legendary Allyson Felix her 11th Olympic medal, making her the most decorated track and field athlete of all time. 

The team was just a tenth off the world record, set in 1988 and considered to be untouchable — until recently, that is. The Americans' time implies that sooner rather than later, that record will fall.

"I think this generation of track and field is just on a different level," McLaughlin-Levrone said. "Everything is improving including us, including our technique, including how we prepare.

"I don’t think anything is impossible at this point, and I think we’re continuing to prove that every time we step on the track."

The win capped a superior performance for the U.S. on the track, and added to the overall vibe of U.S. women owning the 2024 Olympic Games.

"I’ve been here for awhile and I’ve been watching all the women across the Games dominate and it’s been really inspiring and really motivating," Thomas said. "Just watching swimming and gymnastics, I was itching to get out here on the track and show the world what we could do. I'm in great company."

Email Lindsay Schnell at lschnell@usatoday.com and follow her on social media @Lindsay_Schnell