English Gardner won her second Olympic medal Friday morning when her U.S. teammates placed second in the 400-meter relay in Tokyo.
Gardner, an Eastern High School graduate, ran the third leg on the 400-meter relay in the semis on Thursday. The U.S. ran 41.90 with the team of Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, Gardner and Aleia Hobbs, the second-fastest qualifying time behind Great Britain’s 41.55.
On Friday, Oliver, Daniels, Jenna Prandini and Gabrielle Thomas ran 41.45 to take second in the final behind Jamaica, which set a national record of 41.02.
Jamaica’s time is 3rd-fastest in history, behind only the U.S.’s 40.82 at the 2012 World Championships in London and 41.01 at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. time of 41.45 is No. 10 all-time and 3rd-fastest in U.S. history.
Gardner is the third New Jersey woman to medal in track in Tokyo this week. Athing Mu of Trenton won the 800 with a U.S. record of 1:55.21, and Sydney McLaughlin of Dunellen won the 400-meter intermediate hurdles with a world-record 51.46.
Gardner won the gold medal in 2016 when she ran the third leg on the U.S. team that ran 41.01. Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix and Torie Bowie also ran on that team, and Morolake Akinosun also earned a gold medal for running in the semis.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 