TOKYO, Japan — Merrillville native and Pike High School graduate Lynna Irby medaled in her first Olympics in the inaugural 4x400-meter mixed relay event Saturday, picking up a bronze medal.
The U.S. team of Elija Godwin, Irby, Taylor Manson and Bryce Deadmon won their first qualifying heat on Friday, but were disqualified immediately after the race because Irby was lined up outside the handoff area where she was supposed to take the baton from Godwin.
It appeared to take the fastest qualified team out of the medal hunt.
However, they were reinstated after Olympic officials determined that a race official had placed Irby in the wrong spot - and so it wasn't hers or the team's fault.
The U.S. team won its bronze medal in a time of 3:10.22.
Poland was the surprise winner, with the Dominican Republic taking the silver, after also being reinstated.
The United States and the Dominican Republic were neck and neck down the stretch, but Dominican anchor Alexander Ogando just edged U.S. anchor Vernon Norwood by 0.1 seconds.
Poland's gold medal time was 3:09.87, which was just more than a half-second off the world record set by the United States in 2019.