4x400m(U.S.A-WR),Mexico City,1968

The 4x400 metres final at the Mexico'68 Olympics was pretty much a foregone conclusion as the USA team included all three medalists from the 400m.(Lee Evans,Larry James and Ron Freeman)plus the next 400m Olympic champion from 1972!(Vincent Matthews).Their WR of 2.56.16 knocked over three and a half seconds off of the previous time and stood as a WR for twenty years.For geeks only:the Kenyan team who came home in second included Daniel Rudisha,dad of the future Olympic 800m champion David !

[@jamesmorton5017]

They ran this time with no pressure. They ran against the clock. Watching this brings me to tears and I do not cry. This was before steroids or money. These men averaged 44 second splits. Simply amazing!

[@Michael_from_EU_Germany]

As early as 1956, many US athletes were taking doping substances. This was reported by the Olympic champion in the hammer throw, Harold Vincent "Hal" Connolly. On the boat trip across the ocean to Melbourne, he himself had noticed revenues. So it can be assumed that doping also took place in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972.

[@eliudgichuhi4145]

​@@Michael_from_EU_Germanybi

[@Finarphin]

It was probably not before steroids and other drugs.

[@martintownsend6694]

Unfortunately steroids and other PEDs in full flow at this stage

[@christansdad]

There was plenty of pressure until Freeman hammered out that 2nd leg.

[@tobe5636]

I regard this quartet as the best there's been never get bored watching this. World Record which lasted over 25 years albeit at altitude. Great first leg from the kenyan, incredible 2nd leg from freeman and 3rd leg from james.

[@tritonogletree2806]

Vince Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, and Lee Evans... that was unbelievable! Kenya was in it on the first leg (Asati was no slouch,) but Freeman pulled out ahead, and that race was over. That was amazing!

[@timciccarelliciccarelli8583]

Lee Evans was one of very favorite track stars. I patterned myself after his fellow San Jose State track members Tommie Smith. When you're talking of Lee Evans you say Olympic Gold medals, you say world records, you say the 400meter Superman, and you say guts and character. I wasn't aware that he passed. God bless Lee Evans may you rest in peace. You will be missed, and thanks for your great news you were something to see.

[@dwightlove3704]

San Jose St is starting to experience a comeback recently they had a 4x1 relay team that broke the school record that was anchored by John Carlos.

[@jardinbleu7]

Lee Evans passed away yesterday at the age of 74. Great athlete and one of those behind the black power movement ... Great legacy! RIP.

[@jeffryhammel3035]

I did not know. One of our greatest athletes and just plain humans. It's great to be old enough to remember watching our track team way back then. A beautiful Olympics.

[@lekunberriko1]

Rest in peace; I admired him.

[@mikemarquez8972]

I remember watching him run at the California Relay such a great runner and person.

[@dwightlove3704]

I mentioned that on sports radio WFAN NY

[@yesterdayproductions1019]

Lee Evans was a great 400 sprinter. The "black power" movement was a RACIST WHITE HATING fad that died out.

[@patrickharrison1913]

That first Kenyan leg was UNREAL. He hands over the baton at 44.2 which from a block start is incredible.

[@tromboneJTS]

The first US exchange (0:43) occurred at the same time as the Kenyans and at (01:27) the half-way 01.28.00 all the way to a stunning world 🌎 record! Even today the 7th fastest relay in history!!!

[@cr3161]

@@tromboneJTS Second leg for USA, Ron Freeman, ran a 43.2; one of the fastest splits ever. And Larry James, who ran 3rd, ran a 43.9. The turnover time of 2:11 for the anchor is one of fastest first 3 legs of a 4x4 ever to run.

[@randyevermore9323]

@@cr3161 Freeman was absolutely awwwwsome down the backstretch. He just had so much more power in his stride than the Kenyan did.

[@shaundietz3497]

David Rudisha's father! Current 800m, World Record Holder! 1.40.x..!!!

[@spenceralbin344]

thats what I thought the first leg the Kenyan team had caught up the stagger.. But that was it. Who ran first for the USA? I'll have to google it.or BING it.

[@GeoAce777]

the 4x1 style exchanges between legs 2 and 3😳🤯

[@kjersey6781]

Thank You so much to that American Olympic Track Team You Paved The Way For Many Others. Rip Lee Evans.

[@intldawn]

Freeman on that second leg was blistering. Broke it wide open after about 150 meters. Fabulous. What an unbelievable time. They were so ahead of the game. Wow

[@SelectoMan-sj9vv]

Thats my great grandpa! Ron freeman, thats my dads name too he has a instant ramen company now!

[@docsmithdc]

I wonder if most people appreciate how difficult it is to "blast "that second 100 meters the way Freeman did and still win going away.Amazing.

[@gingerbaker4390]

They way they run in those days was so natural. They just run as fast as they could. No tactics.

[@docsmithdc]

@@gingerbaker4390 Actually dear,they did tend to use tactics but these guys were so good that it appears that starting with Freeman the mindset was "just blast it and then hold on.Magnificent really.Sadly only Matthews and Freeman remain now that Lee and Larry have passed.

[@crosbycorey7166]

sorry to be offtopic but does anybody know of a way to get back into an Instagram account? I stupidly forgot the login password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me

[@warrencundy]

These men were probably the last great Clean Runners no drugs just talent & hard work I’m from NZ & never seen this race but as a Athletic Tragic I know Lee Evans first ever sub 44 sec man & the Other great Sprinter at these Olympics Tommie C Smith it was disgraceful how he & John Carlos were treated after these Olympic Games Mr Smith was a once in a lifetime Athlete if he was around now I believe he was capable of 200m in 19:2 about the same as Mr Bolt just look at Tommie in that 200m Final it’s like a Training Run yet is a World Record

[@samuelnyariki7275]

The man who ran the last lap for Kenya relay team in Mexico Olympics was Daniel Rudisha. ( Father of David Rudisha 800 m world record holder)

[@marklockettsr.8175]

Just pure natural running. Old school. Love it.

[@ski-retro]

Kenya took silver here, anchor leg was Daniel Rudisha, dad of David Rudisha who took gold and set WR at 2012 London Olympic 800 m final.

[@esh8973]

Alexx87 yes.. You are right... Wow..

[@carolefisher775]

Wow!

[@abuyaabuya9920]

DANIEL RUDISHA HAS JUST PASSED ON ,,,,WEDNESDAY 6TH 2019 IM FROM +254 KENYA,, R.I.P

[@Bellinghamspence]

Wow, never knew that. David Rudisha is still the 800m record holder?

[@alansamuel2454]

@@Bellinghamspence Will REMAIN the WR holder for a very long time.

[@peters6119]

Freeman ran very close to 43.0 on the second leg. That was the end of the competition for gold.

[@brendanfreeman5317]

Can’t believe that’s my grandpa

[@christansdad]

43.2 was the split. Nobody ran a faster 4 x 400m relay leg for 25 years.

[@sgrant39]

He seemed to go faster in his 2nd 200 and was smooth all the way in before almost collapsing after the exchange

[@sgrant39]

@@brendanfreeman5317 my Dad knew your Grandpa well and covered him during high school and college. Hit me up if you want additional info. Your GF was an outstanding NJ HS athlete

[@jswain2351]

Lee Evans and Larry James were what I aspired to emulate. Sorry to hear Lee passed away.

[@Pihasanddunes1]

Awesome quartet. That second leg by Freeman is the stuff of legends, and they still had James and Evans to come.

[@frederickweeksjr.1189]

EXACTLY

[@FeiduFeidu]

Matthews, James, Freeman and Evans. This was the right order.

[@christansdad]

Ron Freeman ran the 2nd leg. Larry James ran the 3rd leg. The correct order is: Vince Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, Lee Evans

[@parkergrimes3374]

I have close words about the athletes from the USA 4by 400 mile relay team of the Mexico Olympics. Every member ran mid 44 seconds or better. Unheard of back then, highly respected today…

[@andycano5756]

I grew up idolizing Lee Evans. I still have the 43.86 etched in my mind.

[@richardbeck3778]

And second place. ( Larry James ) in the same race was 43.9. Incredible!

[@ShunyamNiketana]

I liked him, too. I got his autograph in Fresno during the West Coast Relays. He was very gracious about it.

[@jeffryhammel3035]

I met Lee back in the 70's. A gracious, determined man.

[@JohnHoulgate]

Did anyone notice the way the Americans passed the baton? They passed it the way you pass the baton in a 4 x 100m relay. I haven't seen anyone do that in years, but it is extremely efficient.

[@cheezmaka1237]

Yep! That's one of the reasons why they did as well as they did....

[@frederickweeksjr.1189]

Noticed that.

[@chrisestey7277]

Old school, blind baton pass..Always 4×4 relays.Dont know why they got away from it.

[@latebloomerabroad]

@@chrisestey7277 They don't do it anymore because it greatly increases the chance of dropping the baton! In a 1600 meter relay, it's best to go a few tenths slower and be sure you are able to finish. Thing about how many times relays don't finish the 4x100 meter relay because of the blind pass!

[@kennethisaacs3391]

@@chrisestey7277 drew

[@666zerowolf]

Larry James...Boys High Standout...RIP...a graceful runner!

[@johnberger5539]

John Rogan Larry James was from White Plains High School. While there, he ran with Otis Hill, Carl Reed & Dave Jackson and set national high school records in the 440 relay, the 880 relay and the mile relay. As I recall their record setting times (1966) were: 1. 440 relay: 41.7 seconds 2. 880 relay: 1:25.4 seconds 3. Mile relay: 3:12.7 seconds Larry James went to Villanova, running under legendary coach Jim 'Jumbo' Elliott. At the 1968 Penn Relays, James ran the first 440 leg ever under 44 seconds, 43.9. He was runnin against a world class runner from Rice University, Dale Bernauer. Bernauer had a 15 yard lead on James. James caught - and passed - Bernauer before the 220 yd mark. I recall, with complete clarity, the Penn Relays announcer on the Franklin Field PA saying, "Villanova's Larry James has just run the 1st 220 in 20.3 seconds. James slowed only slightly, finishing the 440 yd leg in 43.9 seconds, the first ever under 44 seconds (yards, not meters). James went on to coach and become Athletic Director at Stockton College in NJ. Even into his '40's Larry James purportedly, during practices, would give his quarter milers a 20 yard lead and run them down. Larry died in 2008 from cancer. Hell of a man, hell of a runner, hell of a human being.

[@666zerowolf]

Ran for Chaminade High School in Mineola, Long Island, New York...The first person i ever saw run a competitive race was Tommy Farrell of Archbishop Molly in Queens, New York. He finished 3rd in the 800 meters in Mexico City 1968 games, the same one that James ran the 3rd leg of the 1600 relay. Tommy finished strongly in 1:45.2...only Ralph Doubell...who I meet in Albuquerque in 1969 indoor track...and a Keynan Kipreter? ran faster that day. Do you recognize the name Wade Bell...another gutsy 800 meter runner who had so many thing wrong with him that he should not even have been able to walk at a fast rate...USMC....Wade did not care for the blacks who cut the line in the Olympic mess hall...think Evans wanted to go up to the 800 and compete against Bell after being chastised by the USMC hero for bad manners.

[@robertstaffod2424]

Thank you for that!

[@frederickweeksjr.1189]

Wow. INCREDIBLE footage

[@frederickweeksjr.1189]

@@johnberger5539 THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS STORY. INCREDIBLE MAN.

[@stefaneriksson3961]

They best 4x400 team ever. What a great performance. 👍🇺🇲

[@docpj72]

Perfect race by the USA-I remember in 88 when the U.S team anchored by Butch Reynolds tied the record-I agree that if Tommie Smith was on the team the record would have been about 2:55 and it would have stood for several more years!

[@666zerowolf]

Tommie Smith was no 400 meter runner...ran the 200...a lanky punk too!

[@666zerowolf]

Lee Evans.....wow...what a gutsy runner!

[@pittsburghpirate58]

John Rogan Well he is a hero for us! Stood up to American racists of the 1960’s which usually was a death sentence in those days! Fight the MF Power!

[@richardbeck3778]

Go Buckeyes!

[@johnpaulrichardmuller2560]

@@666zerowolf Tommie Smith: world record holder 400m/440y 1967: 44.5/ 44.8

[@mwaambigmbuui874]

My Kenyan brethren this brilliant 52 years ago though? WOW!!!

[@abuyaabuya9920]

DANIEL RUDISHA HAS JUST PASSED ON ,,,,WEDNESDAY 6TH 2019 IM FROM +254 KENYA,, R.I.P

[@josephpereira1346]

Respect to Daniel Rudisha.

[@frederickweeksjr.1189]

RESPECT.

[@warriordragonify]

Chills every time. Thanks for the upload. I remember a calendar photo, great shot of very competitive race, at the final exchange, what a crowd!.Oh Wait...USA is so far ahead, they're out of the shot. This battle is for Silver.Nothing wrong with that. Just the irony.

[@mothertree]

yep chills every time!

[@stonekeeper86]

Greatest 4x400 team ever!!!

[@dazzlingdarrenpeterson7511]

yea can u imagine if they had a Bob Kersee (Jackie Joyner's husband). trainer, even better.

[@docsmithdc]

Your statement was breathtakingly stupid.@@dazzlingdarrenpeterson7511

[@russhartman4927]

So, you must have been in a coma since 1993, those cats obliterated this WR time by over 2 seconds, averaging 43.57 per man with Michael Johnson anchoring in 42.9!!!!!

[@johnpaulrichardmuller2560]

@@russhartman4927 ..."greatest team ever", not fastest team.

[@aaronkoeppe9057]

@@russhartman4927 yup the 1993 was the best 4x400 44.4 valmon 43.5 watts 43.2 reynolds johnson 42.9.i think the guys we have now Micheal norman rai Benjamin fred kerley and will london could come close

[@jessejohnson6799]

Oh no I did not know he passed a true legend and one of the greatest athlete of all time may the lord rest his soul

[@JohnHoulgate]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but the American team handed the baton the way it's usually done for a 4x100 meter relay. Look at the more recent 4X400s. They hand it over by having the receiver turn around hold out his hand. With this team, the receiver keeps looking ahead and presents his hand on the backward swing of his arm, just like 4X100 relay runners do. It's actually more efficient, though riskier. Being able to pull that off shows just how incredible these guys were compared to our runners today.

[@mitch4t]

+John Houlgate .....yeah, that blind hand-off is extremely risky...no way to consistently gauge the incoming speed of the runner handing off. I have to assume that is why it is no longer used.

[@thomassimpson8276]

Agreed. I wouldn't use it.

[@kurtfrancis4621]

Most of these guys ran for Bud Winter at San Jose State. They knew each other and trained together. No problem with the "jet" pass, especially when there's no other team around!

[@binkyxz3]

The visual turn around pass can be practiced so the movement of the stick does not decrease. Think about the speed the stick is traveling.

[@lancemangham997]

They were so fast they performed blind exchanges. Good eye sir.

[@crismaracana2824]

Ron Freeman was the one who broke it wide open with his 43.2 leg

[@simondutton9907]

There will only be one david Coleman. The greatest athletics commentator non pareil.

[@esh8973]

That's incredible... the US sprint team in 1968 was the greatest American track team ever...

[@wobblertv8083]

100mHines .200 Smith .400 Evans .All gold .Awesome

[@BreuckelensFinest]

Wow that was a slaughter house win! America has to get back to this sprint dominance like the yesteryears!

[@joelbeyer6352]

The US has won 7 of the last 9 Olympic Golds in this event and 7 of the last 8 at the World Championships (won the 3 previous to that on the track but rightly had medals revoked for PED violations). The US has never given up their dominance in this event.

[@docsmithdc]

Lee Evans just passed.Great champion.

[@jeffryhammel3035]

My running family is very sad over that. ALL those men were true to their words.

[@docsmithdc]

@@jeffryhammel3035 Yes.Evans and James gone but never to be forgotten.Matthews was a teammate of mine in high school.Freemen was a constant rival.As a matter of fact ,Vincent,Ron and Larry were all "armory guys".Even Bob Beamon was there .Lee was the only outsider (west coast).Those were special times.

[@prbprb2]

In the next 56 years, the world record had only improved by about 1.5 seconds. A staggering thought!

[@jamesa8705]

Another remarkable feature of this race was the US team's ages - Evans and Freeman were 21, and James and Matthews were I think still only 20.

[@jaybennett236]

5 of the 9 finalists in the 2022 Eugene World A. Championships did not even break 3 minutes! The U.S.A. won in 2:56.17! A hundredth slower than that 1968 "gold standard" team! RIP Lee Evans. The improvements in track surfaces and shoes alone make that 1968 team the best ever!

[@Michael_from_EU_Germany]

Are you forgetting to include the benefits of Mexico's high altitude?

[@ronaldwesby4257]

Wow.... those Americans are kicking Asss....they still doing it in the 4x400.👍🏿💯

[@borninparis]

45 years on, make that 48 in Rio, and that time would have clinched the gold in any Olympics since then (save against a couple US teams)! As would a couple other gold medalists still (Beamon, Evans again save for M. Johnson).... Unforgettable Mexico 68!

[@castheschulze7700]

borninparis Mexico were the best games

[@peters6119]

High altitude. None of these guys ran anything close to these times except at high altitude. They were all running 44.6-44.8 the rest of the time.

[@asd36f]

After breaking the world record in 1968, the US were unable to defend their title in Munich in 1972 due to not having a full team available.

[@Sargebri]

Yep. John Smith was injured in the final of the individual 400 and Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett, gold and silver respectively, were kicked out of the games for their behavior on the medal stand.

[@basantibaksi6]

A few comments. First leg for Kenya was by Charles Asati, who actually ran ~0.6 sec faster than Matthews. The latter did not have his best Olympics here, won the individual 400m run four years later at Munich. Politics aside, if Tommie Smith had been on the US team (in place of Vince Matthews), their final time would have been under 2:55. Smith was perhaps the greatest 400 m runner ever. In 1966, he beat Lee Evans head to head at San Jose; Evans was the best runner in 67 and 68, Smith set a wR in that race. At the end of the 1966 season, Smith took down Wendell Mottley in London. Mottley had been setting the world on fire that year, but lost to Smith - probably my all-time favorite runner.

[@spenceralbin344]

288 Vince Matthews - 45.0 273 Ron Freeman - 43.2 280 Larry James - 43.8 270 Lee Evans - 44.1 Danial Rudisha was the Kenyan Anchor? Father of the 800 m record holder and I can't think of his first name.....darn ti.

[@dennispacelli1007]

David

[@tomsimpson6044]

Awesome race by the USA!

[@strikeforcetracktraining2253]

EVANS GREATEST 400 METER RUNNER OF ALL TIME..PATTERN MY RUNNING AFTER HIM USAF 20.5/ 46.6 1973-77 THAT 1968 TEAM WAS THE BEST EVER

[@randyevermore9323]

If Black America had its own anthem, you'd hear it a lot at any Olympics. Those who like to chant U-S-A need to remember that, and be grateful.

[@randyevermore9323]

@Great Scott! No

[@yung4evr]

They were indeed superb.

[@johnberger5539]

Lee Evans was the 1st to break 44 sec in the 400 m (436 yds). Larry James was the 1st to break 44 sec in the quarter mile (440 yds). He ran 43.9 sec on the anchor leg at the '68 Penn Relays for Villanova against Rice's Dale Bernauer, overcoming a 15 yd deficit, who ran a paltry 45.7 sec anchor. Jame's opening 220 was clocked in 20.2 sec when the world record was 20.1. James' effort was ranked in the top 10 performances of all time at the Penn Relays. Below is a link to James' run. The full relay begins at 13:00. James' anchor starts at 15:20. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omPceXyQobJgmqs

[@antonioszytulskyj8165]

RIP LEE EVANS 1947 - 2021

[@hbuttsjr]

Awesome race!!!

[@billywalik6411]

Larry James: Villanova 1970, Best Nickname EVER! “The Mighty Burner”.

[@johnwhitfield5376]

Lee Evans (the individual 400 champion) was so far ahead that he could have walked his leg and still won... LOL...

[@richmuscle8316]

Yo! The second leg was 🔥

[@leonjordan6636]

that's how you rMike relay. very low hand off exchanges, but still got it done. one love.

[@blackadonis4440]

Those Brothers Were Not Playing. In A Time When There Country Did Not Represent Them!Awesome Display Of Patriotism!!

[@revpgesqredux]

I might just be projecting, but looks to me they are running angry. And Angry can be Fast.

[@paynec076]

Mr. Lee Evans Smoked em!!!

[@htownhomie06]

thanks for posting this!

[@jaybennett236]

I wonder if a very young Secretariet saw Lee Evans leg in this race! Said, "I want to win the Belmont like that"! My God what a team 1968 was! Jim Hines, Bob Beamon!

[@jaybennett236]

And Smith, Norman, Carlos!!

[@johnrogan9420]

Larry James...Boys High...Matthews

[@scatman44]

My HS coach was a "blind hand off man" when it came to the 4x4. I ran the mid 80s! Many coaches, as deep as the 80s, still used the blind hand off philosophy, as opposed to the look back/visual! To be honest, I like going blind in the 4x4, unless it's really crowded!

[@isabellaschliman9619]

AMEN, scatman. That's the way Ed Kehe DRILLED Larry James, Dave Jackson, Otis Hill, Carl Reed at WPHS back in '66 when they set both the 880 and mile relay national records. Practice and trust and practice again until FOUR men become ONE team. (This is George, Bella's grandPa, her laptop. I haven't watched this in 12 years but needed some inspiration after breaking my back today in an accident.) At the '68 Penn Relays Larry anchored Villanova's mile relay and ran the first sub 44.0 440 ever for an incredible come from behind to beat Rice. He had the most beautiful stride I've ever seen. PS: Doesn't matter how crowded... looking back ALWAYS looses time.

[@LEIJONALEIJONA-uv6fi]

MY IDOLS IS LEE EVANS

[@dazzlingdarrenpeterson7511]

yep Evans, Michael Johnson, Butch Reynolds.

[@dbd1353]

he was mine too..i met him once at City College of San Francisco, when he had graduated from Speed City..a really cool cat..

[@no1shere710]

yup, one hell of a competitor. saw him run once at one of the ITA pro track meets. inspiring!

[@frederickweeksjr.1189]

Lee was phenomenal,as was the team. They were ahead of their time.

[@mickduffy]

He was my neighbor in San Francisco. I still have a pair of Kangaroo skin Adidas track shoes he gave me. He’d take me fishing in San Jose. We also played tennis together quite a bit. He was training for the ABC Superstars competition. I was only 14 and Lee was 28. He was a great role model.

[@kenhurley4441]

My oldest brother, while attending San Jose State University tootered Lee Evan and Tommy Smith. They were very fast!

[@vcntomondiart349]

So proud of these Kenyans ...

[@jjbirden88]

That team was rolling!

[@stephenmuguti5434]

great keeeeennyaaaa....kenya

[@ravivaradhan4956]

What was the order of the USA team? Was it: Vince Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James and Lee Evans?

[@CentsTwo]

Absolutely incredible

[@kenyongray2615]

This race reminded me of Secretariat in the Belmont. The other countries had 0.00% chance to win unless the USA dropped the baton. Having run this race in high school (sometimes as the anchor leg), you have no idea how those last 100 yards physically feel. You feel as if you are not moving at all even though you are still going pretty fast.

[@johnpaulrichardmuller2560]

Ron Freeman ran 43.2.

[@caravaggio31]

Daniel Rudisha dad of 800m OC & WRH David Rudisha is the anchor for Kenia in silver.

[@akuraoo]

The first leg for Kenya's silver medal winning team was ran by Daniel Rudisha, David Rudisha's father!

[@samuelnyariki7275]

Charles Asati started for Kenya.

[@mombojom3]

Everyone pay attention to the 2nd leg. Freeman ran a 43.2 leg in 1968. Unreal.

[@dwightlove3704]

This time of 2:56.16 is still fast enough for this era of track&field.

[@maponga01]

great great team

[@cy8685]

I doubt any nation will ever be so dominate as the Americans were in '68. While 0.4 seconds separated 2nd, 3rd and 4th, the US team won by 3.5 seconds!

[@jamesa8705]

I remember reading a preview of this race. The outcome was seen as a foregone conclusion given that prior to the Olympics the top 12 400m runners in the world were all Americans. It was said that the USA could hardly lose short of dropping the baton TWICE! Fantastic.

[@esthertshifango9005]

May his soul rest in peace,he ran his race well.

[@NetworkGulf]

Dream team for USA

[@SuperElott]

Blind pass👍

[@peters6119]

This record lasted longer than Bob Beamon's 8.90m LJ record from the same Games. Incredible running by all 4 men. I liked how they did blind exchanges the way 4 X 100m teams do. It appeared to be faster than the traditional 4 X 400 exchanges. I wonder why more teams don't do it that way.

[@TheProfessorpat]

Too risky unless you are a great relay team like this one.

[@peterorman5660]

What are you talking about John Rogan? Tommie Smith concurrently held 11 world records including 400m, 440yds indoors and outdoors.

[@joetrump5844]

I got to see Lee Evans run at the “Penn Relays” as an anchor I think it was 1972..... not positive, but I can tell you this..... I was sitting around the first 100yard area of the 400 first turn........ and I can still hear 👂 his spikes hitting the track as he went flying by. The entire crowd stood up cheering him on. Whaooo....what a runner 🏃. 😎

[@bigdaddy4959]

How fast could they have run with Tommie Smith who was sent home and was the world record holder going into the games.Lee Evans who was the 400 champ and the first man to break 44 sec said it best," I never beat Tommie Smith a day in my life", if Smith runs they run something that would never have been broken.

[@docsmithdc]

Britt Courville Yes.The Americans had at that time the 5 best 400 runners in the world .It was an amazing time for US track and field.

[@dazzlingdarrenpeterson7511]

+docsmithdc true. Mexico City. Thin air...

[@kurtfrancis4621]

Also, slightly lesser gravity.

[@jamesa8705]

I think both Smith and Evans were coached by Bud Winter at San Jose Sate. Apparently he wouldn't let them train together because they were too competitive.

[@tomsimpson6044]

The other countries must not have gotten the memo.

[@stephan6063]

David rudisha dad ran the last leg of 4x400m won silver

[@jmysterio100]

"A new world record by quite a slice"

[@frederickweeksjr.1189]

Lee Evans was a BAD BROTHER!!!

[@Bellinghamspence]

Vince Matthews was the first sprinter for USA vs Kenya Daniel Rudisha. Matthews would be a story for the 72 Olympics and Rudisha a later olympic story?

[@wymple09]

The Americans were on another planet!

[@kimlibera663]

Look at this lead.

[@mikkomallikas3224]

MY IDOLS IS A LEE EVANS

[@leonjordan6636]

that's how you run a Mile relay. best that ever run it.

[@sharongraham512]

I like the commentator.

[@SilencedButNotForgotten]

Ron Freeman ran a monster split.. 43.2

[@dwightlove3704]

This was done above sea level as everyone was well aware.

[@christansdad]

Ron Freeman destroyed the field on that 2nd leg.

[@user-vr5rl2qi2z]

I'm tell"n ya, these guys are running the race and I'm having the heart attack.

[@lionelwitherspoon5410]

This is not America, it is BLACK AMERICA. We are the best. We are the best.

[@jesselockhart1230]

HE GON'!!

[@grandmawyatt2351]

USSR won this race in six more seconds in the 1980 Moscow Games; whew.

[@jeffryhammel3035]

Isn't that something! The glory days for U.S. track.

[@SuperStrongarm]

,,,Except,,,they were NOT taking drugs ( dope ) back then ( in 1968 ) . Drugs or dope in athletics did Not come before human`s natural talent did. Let us Not be so stupid to think so.

[@ysgol3]

Much as I loved David Coleman, I wish somebody'd told him how to pronounce 'Kenya'.

[@brettldouglas]

They would have won in 2016 in Rio that that time.