Athletics at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games:

The early story of this event concerned the make-up of the US team and whether Carl Lewis would be allowed to run. He had not qualified for the 100 metres at the US Olympic Trials, and then he did not attend a relay training camp in North Carolina, which was considered mandatory for the relay runners. But after he won the long jump, he lobbied both the coaches and the press to allow him to run in the relay. But he was not chosen. Canada was led by 100 metre champion Donovan Bailey. In the heats the US (38.58) and Canada (38.68) posted the fastest times. The final saw Canada open up a lead on the second leg, and Bailey received the baton two metres clear of US anchor Dennis Mitchell. Athletics historian Richard Hymans has noted that Mitchell would have had to have been Bob Hayes at his best to catch Bailey, but that was not the case and Bailey brought Canada home the gold medalists by four metres.