<Anchor> The
so-called 'Curse of the Batong', which began at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was not resolved by the United States, an athletics powerhouse.
In the men's 400m relay, I was eliminated from the preliminary round by mistake.
Correspondent Lee Jeong-chan.
<Reporter> With
Usain Bolt missing, America's dream of reclaiming the throne of the '400m relay' was thwarted in the preliminary rounds.
The start was fine, but there was a delay in the process of runner 2 handing the baton to runner 3, and the last runner could not turn the tide and crossed the finish line later than China, Canada, Italy, as well as Germany and Ghana.
[NBC broadcast: Oh my God. How do you get to the finals after placing 6th? I can't go. it's dropout Shock. It's a huge shock.] When
runner Curley handed the baton, Baker's departure was delayed and time passed as she almost held the baton in her hand.
[What happened?] The
United States, which had reigned as an absolute power by sweeping gold medals 15 times in the 400m relay at the Olympic Games, has been weeping under the 'Curse of the Batong' since the 2008 Beijing Games.
I missed, fell, and was disqualified after getting a baton outside the baton touch zone in the final of the last Rio Olympics.
After failing to pass the qualifying rounds, let alone a medal for the first time in 17 years, American track and field legend Carl Lewis could not hide his disappointment, saying, "Everything is wrong."