Carl Lewis on 4x100 relay

USA Track & Field faced another setback at the Paris Olympics when the men's 4×100-meter relay team was disqualified after a botched baton pass, extending their medal drought to 20 years. Legendary sprinter Carl Lewis criticized the program, stating it is time to 'blow up the system' due to a focus on relationships over winning, and emphasized the need for a comprehensive overhaul. The disqualification occurred when Christian Coleman collided with teammate Kenny Bednarek during the first exchange, resulting in Canada winning gold for the first time since 1996. Lewis has long called for changes in coaching and training, suggesting the creation of a relay manual for high school coaches to prevent such failures. Despite being favorites entering the race, the U.S. men's team continues to struggle with baton exchanges, a recurring issue over the past two decades. Meanwhile, the U.S. women's team achieved success with Sha'Carri Richardson anchoring them to gold in the women's 4x100 final, highlighting a stark contrast in performances.