PARIS – Former Tennessee track & field quarter-miler Christopher Bailey capped the Athletics portion of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games winning gold in the men’s 4×400-meter relay final for Team USA on Saturday. The Atlanta native ran the leadoff leg as the American quartet turned in an Olympic record time of 2:54.43, earning the United States’ 19th gold medal in the event and fifth men’s 4×400-meter title in the last six Olympiads.
Bailey’s gold medal is the 11th Olympic championship by a former Tennessee track & field athlete and the first Olympic medal of any kind by a Vol in the men’s 4×400-meter relay. He is the first Tennessee alum to win an Olympic title in track & field since 2016, when Lady Vol Hall of Fame standout Tianna Madison won gold in the long jump and 4×100-meter relay in Rio.
Bailey was one of eight VFLs in action at the Paris 2024 Olympics in addition to two members of the 2024-25 Tennessee track & field roster that also represented their respective countries this summer. Recent graduate Clement Ducos had UT’s best individual performance of the Games, returning to his home country and earning a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles. The Bordeaux, France, native earned a PB of 47.69 in the preliminary rounds – improving his own UT school record – and took fourth in the final with a time of 47.76 in front of a raucous home crowd at Stade de France.
In addition to Ducos, a trio of Tennessee alums reached the finals of their respective events in Paris. Bailey was one of three Americans in the 400-meter final and placed sixth overall in 44.58, while former Vol Carey McLeod finished 12th in the long jump with a leap of 7.82m (25-8) in his second Olympic appearance for Jamaica. Christian Coleman traveled to Paris as a member of Team USA’s 4×100-meter relay team, which posted the top time in the first round (37.47) with the former Vol and NCAA record holder on the leadoff leg.
Ten-time All-American Lady Vol Charisma Taylor was an Olympic debutant for the Bahamas and performed well, earning two top-15 finishes in her signature events. The Nassau product reached the semifinal round of the 100-meter hurdles and left Paris with a new personal-best of 12.63 to finish 12th in the event, and she placed 15th in the opening round of the women’s triple jump with a mark of 14.01m (45-11.75).
A pair of young Tennessee track & field athletes earned the opportunity to represent their Caribbean nations in…
Bailey’s gold medal is the 11th Olympic championship by a former Tennessee track & field athlete and the first Olympic medal of any kind by a Vol in the men’s 4×400-meter relay. He is the first Tennessee alum to win an Olympic title in track & field since 2016, when Lady Vol Hall of Fame standout Tianna Madison won gold in the long jump and 4×100-meter relay in Rio.
Bailey was one of eight VFLs in action at the Paris 2024 Olympics in addition to two members of the 2024-25 Tennessee track & field roster that also represented their respective countries this summer. Recent graduate Clement Ducos had UT’s best individual performance of the Games, returning to his home country and earning a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles. The Bordeaux, France, native earned a PB of 47.69 in the preliminary rounds – improving his own UT school record – and took fourth in the final with a time of 47.76 in front of a raucous home crowd at Stade de France.
In addition to Ducos, a trio of Tennessee alums reached the finals of their respective events in Paris. Bailey was one of three Americans in the 400-meter final and placed sixth overall in 44.58, while former Vol Carey McLeod finished 12th in the long jump with a leap of 7.82m (25-8) in his second Olympic appearance for Jamaica. Christian Coleman traveled to Paris as a member of Team USA’s 4×100-meter relay team, which posted the top time in the first round (37.47) with the former Vol and NCAA record holder on the leadoff leg.
Ten-time All-American Lady Vol Charisma Taylor was an Olympic debutant for the Bahamas and performed well, earning two top-15 finishes in her signature events. The Nassau product reached the semifinal round of the 100-meter hurdles and left Paris with a new personal-best of 12.63 to finish 12th in the event, and she placed 15th in the opening round of the women’s triple jump with a mark of 14.01m (45-11.75).
A pair of young Tennessee track & field athletes earned the opportunity to represent their Caribbean nations in…
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