TOKYO (Reuters) – The United States’ mixed 4x400m relay team has been reinstated into Saturday’s final after they were disqualified on Friday for exchanging the baton outside the changeover zone.
The American team, comprising Elija Godwin, Lynna Irby, Taylor Manson and Bryce Deadmon, were reinstated by jury decision, Tokyo 2020 organisers said on Saturday.
The quartet had posted the fastest time in their heat on Friday.
USA Track & Field did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the circumstances around their reinstatement.
Olympic organisers had not added the U.S. on the start list for the medal race by Saturday morning.
The U.S. won gold when the mixed relay featured at the world championships for the first time in Doha in 2019 and are favourites to capture the maiden Olympic gold for the event.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Tokyo, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
