Tokyo Olympics: Hobbs, Mitchell-Blake earn Silver medals in 4x100m relays

Tokyo, Japan – Former LSU track stars Aleia Hobbs (USA) and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Great Britain) earned silver medals in the 4×100 meter relay on the penultimate night of action for track and field at the Tokyo Olympics.

Mitchell-Blake, a 2017 world championship gold medalist in the relay, anchored the British team to silver in an agonizingly close race. One hundredth of a second was all that differentiated the gold medalists (Italy) and the silver medalists (Great Britain). Mitchell- Blake had the initial lead on the final leg but was barely chased down by the anchor leg for the Italians. Italy won with a time of 37.50 and Great Britain took silver with a 37.51.

Hobbs, the New Orleans product out of Eleanor McMain who made her Olympic debut, ran in the first round of the 4×100 meter relay for Team USA. She anchored the Americans to a second place finish in their first round heat with a time of 41.90. Although she did not run in the finals, Hobbs will be awarded a silver medal for contributing to USA’s appearance in the final.

Vernon Norwood played his part in the first round of the men’s 4×400 meter relay as he anchored the Americans to the fastest qualifying time, a 2:57.77, with a split of 44.3 seconds. Norwood may or may not run in the finals, but former LSU sprinter Michael Cherry, who finished fourth in the individual 400 meters, will assuredly be running in the finals