The Mallard Creek graduate won gold in the women’s 4×400 relay and helped the U.S. set a new world record at the Paris Olympics.
GASTONIA, N.C. — Olympic champion Kaylyn Brown will get a hero’s welcome Wednesday night as the Gastonia Baseball Club honors her accomplishments at the Paris Olympics.Â
Brown, a Gaston County native who became a track star at Mallard Creek High School, won gold in the women’s 4×400-meter relay. She also won silver in the 4×400 mixed relay. Brown helped Team USA set a new world record in the mixed 4×400-meter relay, running an anchor leg of 49.4 seconds. The U.S. broke the previous world record by over a full second, finishing the race in 3:07.41.Â
The event starts at 7 p.m. at CaroMont Health Park in Gastonia. A meet-and-greet with Brown is scheduled for 7:50 p.m. The event is free to attend. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m.Â
Brown currently resides in Ranlo and attends the University of Arkansas. She has a career-best time of 49.13 seconds in the 400 meters. She won gold in the under-20 World Championships in the mixed 4×400 relay.Â
Brown had a sensational debut year at Arkansas, running sub-50 times seven times in 10 races during the outdoor season. She won the silver medal in the NCAA 400-meter final, finishing second to teammate Nickisha Pryce. Her time of 49.13 seconds broke the world record for 19-year-olds, surpassing Germany’s Grit Breuer in 1991.Â
Brown started running track with the Sugar Creek Jaguars when she was just 4 years old.Â
