[1/5] Athletics - World Athletics Championship - 4x400m Relay Mixed - National Athletics Centre, Budapest, Hungary - August 19, 2023 Alexis Holmes of the U.S. crosses the line to win the final as Netherlands' Femke Bol falls REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The United States won a dramatic World Championship gold with a world record in the mixed 4x400 metres relay on Saturday as Femke Bol fell five metres from the line just as it looked as if she was going to bring the Netherlands home for gold. The winning time of 3:08.80 broke the Americans' own world record set in the first running of the event in 2019. By the time Bol got the baton for the last leg it looked a foregone conclusion as the 400 hurdles specialist and indoor 400m world record holder has been in stunning form in recent weeks. "I don't know what happened, I cramped towards the finish line, I was pushing, pushing, pushing," Bol said. "It was definitely tough to run against Femke Bol.

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Persons: Alexis Holmes, Femke Bol, Sarah Meyssonnier, Bol, Gabby Thomas, Matthew Boling, Ryan Willie, Lieke Klaver, Holmes, Sifan Hassan, Mitch Phillips, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: National Athletics Centre, Rights, United States, Britain, U.S, Eugene, Femke, Thomson Locations: Budapest, Hungary, U.S, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Tokyo