Kansas State sprinter Eugene Omalla earned an Olympic gold medal on Saturday with The Netherlands 4x400 mixed relay team at Stade de France in Paris.
In the finals, Omalla ran the first leg of the relay, with teammates Lieke Klaver, Isaya Klein Ikkink and Femke Bol, to a time of 3:07.43, three-tenths of a second ahead of Team USA with a silver medal time of 3:07.74.
During Round 1 on Friday, August 2, Omalla also ran the first leg with Cathelijn Peeters in place of Bol, to 2nd place in the second heat with a time of 3:10.81.
The Dutch’s final time of 3:07.43 is two-hundredths of a second short of tying the Olympic and World Record at 3:07.41 set on Friday by Team USA with a 1st place finish in the first heat of Round 1.
Omalla adds to the Wildcats Olympic trophy case, earning the 10th medal in school history and the 4th gold medal.
Other K-State gold medalists include Erik Kynard (high jump, 2012, London), Kenny Harrison (triple jump, 1996, Atlanta) and Thane Baker (400 meter relay, 1956, Melbourne).
2015 alumna Laura Galvan also competed at the Stade de France on Friday in the Round 1 of the 5,000 meters, finishing 11th in the second heat, 20th overall out of 40 runners, with a time of 15:05.20, a season best.
