OLYMPICS LIVE BLOG: LATEST UPDATES, NEWS<\/strong><\/em><\/a> |<\/strong><\/em> TOKYO GAMES EVENT CENTRE: SCHEDULE, RESULTS, MEDAL TALLY<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The ruling said Irby had positioned herself "outside" the zone to receive the baton from Godwin.<\/p>\n It's the latest in a decades-long series of mishaps for the US in relays.<\/p>\n Most have come in the shorter 4x100m relay where the pass is a more technical and time-sensitive move.<\/p>\n This one came in a 4x400m race where there aren't traditionally issues with the pass.<\/p>\n Dominican Republic were also disqualified, although they had finished outside the qualifying places for Saturday's final.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Nigeria mixed it up by putting a male runner on the third leg during the first heat.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Felix, who was not on the track for qualifying, might have been in the line-up for the final on Saturday.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Felix ran on the mixed team that won gold in the event's debut at the 2019 world championships in Doha.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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