Setting a world record equals a cash bonus. The Americans won an extra $50,000 for setting the distance medley relay, DMR record at IAAF’s World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday, May 3.
Kyle Merber, Brycen Spratling, Brandon Johnson and Ben Blankenship set a time of 9 minutes, 15.50 seconds, eclipsing Kenya’s run of 9:15.56 in 2006 and outpacing Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt to reach the finish line.
Bolt and his teammates were second to team USA in Saturday’s 4×100 final.
It was Team USA’s second DMR world record at the 2015 IAAF World Relays, after the women had achieved the feat Saturday night. You go girls!