USA and Dominican reinstated in 4x400m mixed relay final after disqualification

Bryce Deadmon of the United States competes during the 4x400m Relay Mixed Heat at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan ,July 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Jia Yuchen)

The United States 4x400m mixed relay team was reinstated after being disqualified Friday during the event's Olympic debut preliminaries.

TOKYO, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The USA's 4x400m mixed relay team has been reinstated for the final on Saturday after their appeal against the disqualification in the preliminary round was upheld.

The U.S. quartet was disqualified after the heats on Friday for exchanging outside the zone but has been reinstated by the Jury of Appeal, according to an update posted in the Olympic Information System.

The USA won the inaugural mixed relay world title in 2019 with a world record and was hotly tipped to add the first-ever Olympic crown in this event before their shock elimination.

Team USA pose for photos with the scoreboard after the 4x400m mixed relay final at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Sept. 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Lili)

They won the first heat of the opening round ahead of Dominica who set a national record before they were also disqualified.

Both teams have now been reinstated after appeal and will race in the first-ever Olympic mixed relay final.