PARIS, FRANCE — It was a case of déjà vu for Jamaica as they once again dropped the baton and failed to finish in the Women’s 4x400m Relay, bringing their Olympic Games campaign to a disappointing end on Saturday. The incident echoed a similar mishap at the World Relays in The Bahamas earlier this year when the team also dropped the baton and failed to finish the race.

As the race began at Stade de France the Jamaican team was poised for a strong performance, eager to erase the memory of their earlier fumble in The Bahamas. The first leg of the relay was executed with precision by Stacey Ann Williams, and it seemed as though they were on track to compete for a medal. But disaster struck at the 150m mark on the second leg when the baton was dropped by Andrenette Knight as she was being passed by Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke.

The USA won the event in a time of 3:15.27 minutes, with the Netherlands taking second in 3:19.50, while Great Britain secured the bronze medal in 3:19.72. Stephenie Ann McPherson, who was scheduled to run the final leg of the relay, was distraught and tearful as this was her final time competing at the Olympic Games.

“Of course I am disappointed because we all came out here to do the best that we can for our country,” McPherson said. “Things happened, and we can’t do anything about it; it is already gone. It is World Relays all over again because it is the same thing that happened at the World Relays.”

McPherson, 35, is set to retire from the sport at the end of this season.

“I know that this team could have done a great job, without a doubt. I wanted to leave the Olympics with a medal but it is unfortunate and I can’t do anything,” she said.

Romaine Beckford finished 10th in the final of the men’s high jump competition on Saturday, with a clearance of 2.22m. Beckford failed to get over 2.27m, his personal best height and which he cleared during the indoor season while competing for University of Arkansas. He cleared the opening height of 2.17m on his first try but it took two attempts to get over 2.22m.

Ackera Nugent failed to secure a medal for the country in the final of the Women’s 100m Hurdles event as she did not finish the race. She hit the first hurdle and lost her momentum. Despite her efforts to recover Nugent also crashed into the seventh barrier before deciding to stop and walk off the track. The race was won by USA’s Masai Russell in 12.33 seconds, followed by France’s Cyrene Samba-Mayela in 12.34s, and defending Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in 12.36s.