The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo kicked off in a big way for the U.S. team. In the first evening session, the Americans defended their gold medal in the mixed 4x400-meter relay, equaling the championship record they set two years ago in Budapest.
In the final event on September 13, the U.S. quartet of Bryce Deadmon, Lyanna Irby-Jackson, Jenoah McKiver, and Alexis Holmes blasted 3:08.80, well ahead of the runner-up Dutch squad that took silver in 3:09.96. Belgium rounded out the podium in 3:10.61.
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Though South Africa ran the fastest opening leg, Irby-Jackson gave the U.S. a strong lead with a stunning 49.18 split on the second lap. She handed off to McKiver, who extended the distance on the third leg with his 43.91 split. Holmes maintained the momentum as anchor with a 50.73 split, holding off a hard-charging Femke Bol of the Netherlands.
“I definitely wanted to bring it home for my teammates, and I’m glad I got the job done,” Holmes told Citius Mag Published: Sep 13, 2025 11:22 AM EDT.
The Americans’ victory marked the team’s third gold medal in four editions of the mixed 4x400-meter relay at the world championships.
Though Poland entered the meet as the world leader in the event, they finished just outside of the medals in 3:10.63. Great Britain placed fifth in 3:10.84, two years after claiming silver at the 2023 world championships.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
