Local teen wins second Olympic medal with USA’s relay team

Source: Xinhua News Agency / Getty

Gastonia’s Kaylyn Brown played a key role in securing the United States’ spot in the women’s 4×400-meter relay final. On Saturday, Brown, 19, watched from the sidelines as her teammates clinched the gold medal, marking her second medal of these Olympic Games and her first gold, according to The Charlotte Observer. Brown ran the anchor leg in the team’s qualifying heat on Friday, posting a 50.54-second split as they finished in 3:21.44, a season best.

A longtime runner who began with the Sugar Creek Jaguars in Charlotte and later competed at Mallard Creek High School, Brown expressed her gratitude for the experience. “It’s such an honor to compete with these women,” she said. “I knew they were going to get the job done. It’s not an easy thing to compete on this stage with this type of pressure. We’re all grateful to be in this position.”