ELIJA GODWIN

Americans Elija Godwin and Lynna Irby pass the baton outside the exchange zone, disqualifying the Team USA and its first-round win in the mixed 4x400m relay prelims; the Dominican Republic also DQs on a zone order rule.

The U.S. men have a long history of faulty baton exchanges in the Olympic relays. The country’s difficult history in relay races reappeared in the Olympic debut of the 4x400-meter mixed relay Friday — a race practically invented to send a gold medal back to the United States. The Americans were disqualified after finishing first in the opening heat because of a bad exchange between Lynna Irby and Elija Godwin, a pair of 22-year-old runners who were placed on the U.S. team specifically to help get through the relay rounds.

An exchange between first and second legs Elija Godwin and Lynna Irby was found to have taken place outside the exchange zone.