University of Tennessee Athletics
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Bailey’s 4x400m Gold Headlines Olympic Performances for Tennessee Track & Field
August 11, 2024 | Track & Field
PARIS – Former Tennessee track & field quarter-miler Christopher Bailey capped the Athletics portion of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games winning gold in the men's 4x400-meter relay final for Team USA on Saturday. The Atlanta native ran the leadoff leg as the American quartet turned in an Olympic record time of 2:54.43, earning the United States' 19th gold medal in the event and fifth men's 4x400-meter title in the last six Olympiads.
Bailey's gold medal is the 11th Olympic championship by a former Tennessee track & field athlete and the first Olympic medal of any kind by a Vol in the men's 4x400-meter relay. He is the first Tennessee alum to win an Olympic title in track & field since 2016, when Lady Vol Hall of Fame standout Tianna Madison won gold in the long jump and 4x100-meter relay in Rio.
Bailey was one of eight VFLs in action at the Paris 2024 Olympics in addition to two members of the 2024-25 Tennessee track & field roster that also represented their respective countries this summer. Recent graduate Clement Ducos had UT's best individual performance of the Games, returning to his home country and earning a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles. The Bordeaux, France, native earned a PB of 47.69 in the preliminary rounds – improving his own UT school record – and took fourth in the final with a time of 47.76 in front of a raucous home crowd at Stade de France.
In addition to Ducos, a trio of Tennessee alums reached the finals of their respective events in Paris. Bailey was one of three Americans in the 400-meter final and placed sixth overall in 44.58, while former Vol Carey McLeod finished 12th in the long jump with a leap of 7.82m (25-8) in his second Olympic appearance for Jamaica. Christian Coleman traveled to Paris as a member of Team USA's 4x100-meter relay team, which posted the top time in the first round (37.47) with the former Vol and NCAA record holder on the leadoff leg.
Ten-time All-American Lady Vol Charisma Taylor was an Olympic debutant for the Bahamas and performed well, earning two top-15 finishes in her signature events. The Nassau product reached the semifinal round of the 100-meter hurdles and left Paris with a new personal-best of 12.63 to finish 12th in the event, and she placed 15th in the opening round of the women's triple jump with a mark of 14.01m (45-11.75).
A pair of young Tennessee track & field athletes earned the opportunity to represent their Caribbean nations in Paris, with rising sophomore Davonte Howell (Cayman Islands) running the men's 100-meter dash and rising junior Javonya Valcourt (Bahamas) running the mixed 4x400-meter relay. Howell advanced out of the preliminary rounds of the 100-meter and finished 39th overall with a time of 10.24, while Valcourt helped her country place 13th in the mixed 4x400-meter with a split of 51.11 seconds on the second leg.
Former Lady Vols Joella Lloyd and Stamatia Scarvelis – who each claimed SEC titles and All-America status during their Tennessee careers – made their second-straight trip to the Olympic Games. Lloyd represented Antigua and Barbuda as the national record holder in the 100-meter dash and posted a time of 11.37 to place 42nd in the field, while Scarvelis qualified for Greece in the hammer throw and took 17th in the qualifying round with a heave of 69.38 meters (227-7).
Tennessee's outdoor triple jump record holder Jah-Nhai Perinchief served as Bermuda's flag bearer during the opening ceremony and competed in the men's triple jump. The 2021 SEC champion and NCAA runner-up placed 28th at the Olympics with a mark of 16.23m (53-3).
UT's 10 representatives in Paris were the most in program history at a single Olympiad, topping the previous record of nine set in 1984 and 1992. Tennessee track & field has had at least one current or former athlete compete in every Olympic Games since 1964, totaling 11 gold medals, five silver and three bronze during that span.Tennessee Track & Field at The Olympics – All-time Medal Count
Benita Fitzgerald
Bailey's gold medal is the 11th Olympic championship by a former Tennessee track & field athlete and the first Olympic medal of any kind by a Vol in the men's 4x400-meter relay. He is the first Tennessee alum to win an Olympic title in track & field since 2016, when Lady Vol Hall of Fame standout Tianna Madison won gold in the long jump and 4x100-meter relay in Rio.
Bailey was one of eight VFLs in action at the Paris 2024 Olympics in addition to two members of the 2024-25 Tennessee track & field roster that also represented their respective countries this summer. Recent graduate Clement Ducos had UT's best individual performance of the Games, returning to his home country and earning a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles. The Bordeaux, France, native earned a PB of 47.69 in the preliminary rounds – improving his own UT school record – and took fourth in the final with a time of 47.76 in front of a raucous home crowd at Stade de France.
In addition to Ducos, a trio of Tennessee alums reached the finals of their respective events in Paris. Bailey was one of three Americans in the 400-meter final and placed sixth overall in 44.58, while former Vol Carey McLeod finished 12th in the long jump with a leap of 7.82m (25-8) in his second Olympic appearance for Jamaica. Christian Coleman traveled to Paris as a member of Team USA's 4x100-meter relay team, which posted the top time in the first round (37.47) with the former Vol and NCAA record holder on the leadoff leg.
Ten-time All-American Lady Vol Charisma Taylor was an Olympic debutant for the Bahamas and performed well, earning two top-15 finishes in her signature events. The Nassau product reached the semifinal round of the 100-meter hurdles and left Paris with a new personal-best of 12.63 to finish 12th in the event, and she placed 15th in the opening round of the women's triple jump with a mark of 14.01m (45-11.75).
A pair of young Tennessee track & field athletes earned the opportunity to represent their Caribbean nations in Paris, with rising sophomore Davonte Howell (Cayman Islands) running the men's 100-meter dash and rising junior Javonya Valcourt (Bahamas) running the mixed 4x400-meter relay. Howell advanced out of the preliminary rounds of the 100-meter and finished 39th overall with a time of 10.24, while Valcourt helped her country place 13th in the mixed 4x400-meter with a split of 51.11 seconds on the second leg.
Former Lady Vols Joella Lloyd and Stamatia Scarvelis – who each claimed SEC titles and All-America status during their Tennessee careers – made their second-straight trip to the Olympic Games. Lloyd represented Antigua and Barbuda as the national record holder in the 100-meter dash and posted a time of 11.37 to place 42nd in the field, while Scarvelis qualified for Greece in the hammer throw and took 17th in the qualifying round with a heave of 69.38 meters (227-7).
Tennessee's outdoor triple jump record holder Jah-Nhai Perinchief served as Bermuda's flag bearer during the opening ceremony and competed in the men's triple jump. The 2021 SEC champion and NCAA runner-up placed 28th at the Olympics with a mark of 16.23m (53-3).
UT's 10 representatives in Paris were the most in program history at a single Olympiad, topping the previous record of nine set in 1984 and 1992. Tennessee track & field has had at least one current or former athlete compete in every Olympic Games since 1964, totaling 11 gold medals, five silver and three bronze during that span.
Tennessee Track & Field at The Olympics – All-time Medal Count
Gold (11)
Benita Fitzgerald
- W 100m Hurdles – 1984
- M 4x100m – 1984
- M 100m – 2004
- M Pole Vault – 2004
- W 4x400m – 2004
- W 4x400m – 2012
- M 110m Hurdles – 2012
- W 4x100m – 2012
- W 4x100m – 2016
- W Long Jump - 2016
- M 4x400m – 2024
Silver (5)
Sam Graddy- M 100m – 1984
- W 100m Hurdles – 1992
- M Pole Vault – 2000
- M 4x100m – 2004
- M 100m – 2016
Bronze (3)
Justin Gatlin- M 200m – 2004
- M 100m – 2012
- W 400m – 2012
Players Mentioned
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