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McLaughlin breaks his own world record; Beach semi-volley on Thursday
The American 400m hurdles Sydney McLaughlin won gold in a world record time. Thursday may be the last time we see multiple USWNT players at the Olympics.
Sandy Hooper, USA TODAY
TOKYO – Carl Lewis, winner of nine golds in four Olympics, couldn’t believe his eyes. He was at his home Wednesday night in Houston watching the US men’s 4×100 relay team melt halfway across the world in the Olympic stadium, and he just couldn’t contain his frustration.
“He was a football coach who took a team to the Super Bowl and lost 99-0 because they were completely unprepared,” Lewis said in a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports.
” This is unacceptable. It’s so disheartening to see this because it’s people’s lives. We just play games with people’s lives. This is why I am so pissed off. It is totally preventable. And America sets there rooting for America and then they have this clown show. I can not stand it anymore. It is just unacceptable. It is not difficult to take over.
Moments after the Americans finished a stunning sixth place finish in their relay qualifying round robin, failing to qualify and knocking out their medal chances, Lewis took to Twitter:
“The United States team has it all wrong in the men’s relay,” he wrote. “The passing system is bad, the athletes are running with the wrong legs, and it was clear that there was no leadership. It was a total embarrassment and totally unacceptable for an American team to look worse. than the AAU kids I’ve seen.
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Lewis, 60, an assistant track coach at his alma mater, the University of Houston, said he has been involved in recent years with US relays due to the participation of UH athletes in the system.
“In track and field the individualized part, every agent is there, every person is out there talking (to the coaches), they want their guys to run, they all say we have to lead six guys so they can all get a medal. The last thing they think about is crossing the line for the US It’s coming back to the same thing, selfish.
After the American debacle, two members of the United States team spoke to the media in the mixed zone, according to Tom Schad of USA TODAY Sport. When asked how much practice they had for the event as a group before the race, Fred Kerley, stage two, replied, “I don’t know,” and Ronnie Baker, stage three, said. added: “Not much. “
Lewis focused on Baker, who had to turn the track between 200 and 300 yards, in his comments to USA TODAY Sports.
“I’ve never seen Ronnie Baker turn a corner in my life,” said Lewis. “Go back and look at the third step, look at him, he looks like he’s running on the ice because he’s never made a turn. He’s not running the 200 (individual), so why is he doing a turn when he never does a turn? “
Lewis said: “We’ve been talking about it forever. The bridging program has been a disaster for years because there is no leadership and no system. When I said everything was wrong, it is. If you break it down, people were in the wrong legs, obviously they didn’t learn how to pass the baton in those legs. Just simple things like that. I’ve watched it. I don’t blame the athletes so much. It was leadership. “
When asked if he was ready to take over the US relay program, Lewis burst out laughing. But he wasn’t laughing at what he had seen of Tokyo on his TV at home.
“I’m so frustrated because I’m so passionate about these three letters, USA,” Lewis said. “That’s why. I love my country. I love winning. That’s what brings me. How can we let the United States down in such an unacceptable way?
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