The United States had a tight and dramatic finish during the World Athletics Championship in Hungary. A last-minute slip-up led to Team USA not only clinching the gold medal but breaking a record on the first day of the event.
Dutch track runner Femke Bol had the lead up until the final seconds of the mixed 4×400 meter relay at the World Track and Field Championship. The former record holder kept her pace for the duration of the race and was aiming to solidify the win. However, it seems like within a split second and inches away from the finish line, the athlete lost her footing. Leading to Alexis Holmes, representing America, securing the win.
Femke Bol had the edge for the Netherlands in the mixed 4×400 relay at the World Track and Field Championships but lost her footing in the final stretch, falling on her face and handing Team USA the gold and a world record.pic.twitter.com/4UCLyxkE05
— No Jumper (@nojumper) August 20, 2023
Holmes completed the run, securing the gold medal while breaking a world record that had been set during the first running of the event in 2019.
“It is amazing,” said Holmes. “It was definitely tough to run against Femke Bol. She is an amazing athlete but I believed I could run it down because I felt really strong and determined to win and I felt good.”
Bol seemed to be in shock after her crash-bang moment, going face-first into the ground, which caused her baton to get away from her. This left the Netherlands team with a “DNF”, did not finish, status.
The former University of Kentucky track & field star, Alexis Holmes, delivered a win for the ages after this stunning comeback. The winning time of 3:08:80 broke Team USA’s previous record.
