PARIS, France — Atlanta native Chris Bailey pushed the U.S. 4x400m relay team into the final on Friday at the Paris Olympics after the team lost ground on their first leg with a 16-year-old making his Olympic debut.
Teenager Quincy Wilson has one of the most sensational stories of the Olympics, as he ran Friday in the relay and became Team USA's youngest American male to ever compete in track at an Olympic Games. But his inexperience showed as he ran the opening leg in 47.27 seconds, leaving the United States in seventh in the first heat and with a lot of ground to make up.
The rest of the veteran U.S. relay team came through, however, to pick up the 16-year-old. Vernon Norwood blazed the second leg in 43.54 seconds -- the second-fastest leg of any runner in the heat -- and then Bryce Deadmon ran the third leg in 44.20 seconds.
Bailey, a Carver High alum, brought it home for the Americans. His final leg of 44.14 seconds was the fourth fastest of any runner in the heat, and secured third place in the race -- good for an automatic qualifying spot. The U.S. team's overall time of 2 minutes, 59.15 seconds left only a second to spare ahead of Zambia, who had the last qualifying time at 3 minutes, 0.08 seconds.
Bailey, 24, was a gold medalist in the 4x400m relay last year at the Athletics World Championships. It's not finalized yet if he will run with the U.S. relay team in the final which will be tomorrow, Saturday August 10, at 3 p.m. ET (9 p.m. locally in Paris). Track teams are allowed to change their relay lineup between the heats and final.
Bailey has already competed once at the Paris Olympics -- finishing sixth in the final on Wednesday.
