Paris — Despite bowing out of the 4 x 400m relay mixed, the Kenyan quartet comprising of David Kapirante, Veronica Mutua, Boniface Mweresa and Mercy Chebet are excited to be a part of the record-breaking heat in which United States broke their own world record.

The Americans crossed the line in 3:07.41 to rub the previous mark of 3:08.80 at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

"At least in future we will tell our children that we were in this heat that broke the world record. Though the results weren't what we anticipated, at least we were there to witness the historic finish in which the Americans ran a blistering race. For me, being in the Olympics for the umpteenth time, I wanted to go for the kill this time round, but then again, it is what it is," Mweresa, who was at the 2012 London Olympics told Capital Sport.

The U.S. composed of Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kaylyn Brown led midway through the second lap in a text book performance, overcoming a fast field in the opening heat in which four national records were broken as well as the world mark.

"I always knew we were going to run fast, and we talked about how it was going to take a record to win a medal," American Shamier Little told Reuters, adding: "It took a record to win our prelim. I always knew we were going to run fast, and we talked about how it was going to take a record to win a medal," said American Shamier Little. "It took a record to win our prelim."

The French team were willed across the finish by a partisan home crowd, as they held off Belgium (3:10.74) and Jamaica (3:11.06) to finish second in 3:10.60 in the rarely contested event.