A faulty exchange in the Olympic debut of the mixed 4×400 relay has cost the United States a spot in the final.
It also might have cost Allyson Felix a chance at winning a record-setting 10th Olympic medal in Tokyo.
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The USA breezed to a victory in the first qualifying heat of the relay – in which teams of two men and two women compete against each other in any order they choose – but was disqualified because of a bad pass between Lynna Irby and Elija Godwin.
The ruling said Irby had positioned herself "outside" the zone to receive the baton from Godwin.
It's the latest in a decades-long series of mishaps for the US in relays.
Most have come in the shorter 4x100m relay where the pass is a more technical and time-sensitive move.
This one came in a 4x400m race where there aren't traditionally issues with the pass.
Dominican Republic were also disqualified, although they had finished outside the qualifying places for Saturday's final.
The Polish team of Dariusz Kowaluk, Iga Baumgart-Witan, Malgorzata Holub-Kowalik and Kajetan Duszynski, were therefore awarded the heat win ahead of the Netherlands. Jamaica qualified in third place.
Most teams have chosen to start with a male runner, followed by two women over the next two laps, and a man anchoring the team.
Nigeria mixed it up by putting a male runner on the third leg during the first heat.
Patience Okon George had a lead of about 30 metres when she got the baton from Samson Nathaniel but the Nigerian woman was passed by all the men in the final leg.
Felix, who was not on the track for qualifying, might have been in the line-up for the final on Saturday.
She has nine Olympic medals and with one more would break a tie with Merlene Ottey of Jamaica for the most Olympic track medals for a woman.
Felix ran on the mixed team that won gold in the event's debut at the 2019 world championships in Doha.
Felix is qualified for the women's 400m, which starts next Tuesday, and could also run in the women's 4x400m at the end of the meet.
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