Chris Bailey leads USA mixed relay to World Ultimate victory

BUDAPEST – Arkansas alum Chris Bailey led off the United States winning effort in the mixed 4 x 400m relay Sunday on the final day of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship as the American foursome split a prize money tally of $80,000.

The all-SEC alum line-up for Team USA included Alexis Holmes (Kentucky), Jacory Patterson (Florida), and Aaliyah Butler (Georgia) as they produced a time of 3:08.32 to defeat Great Britian (3:09.40), Netherlands (3:09.57), and Belgium (3:10.85).

“I would say the main thing was just wanting to do my job,” noted Bailey, who has previously collected Olympic and World Championship 4 x 400m relay gold medals. “We have a good history in relays and we really wanted to keep that going.”

Bailey earned a total of $45,000 in prize money over the weekend in Hungary with $25,000 from his fourth place in the 400m final and $20,000 from his share of the relay victory.

Holmes, who trains in Fayetteville, added: “The atmosphere with this team was so good. Whenever the USA puts a team together, they put together a group they trust, people with the character to go out there and make it happen, and that is what we had today.”

Bailey, who produced a leading split of 44.73 on the first leg, put the USA squad into a lead they never relinquished. Holmes followed with a 49.51 carry as she maintained an edge over Lieke Klaver (49.37) of the Netherlands. Patterson covered the third leg in 44.61 while Butler anchored in 49.47.

The winning performance is the seventh fastest time in history of the recently added event and fourth fastest mark by an American squad.

Another Arkansas alum competing on the final day of the meet included Romaine Beckford in the high jump where he finished fifth with a clearance of 7-5 (2.26) and earned $16,000 in prize money.