In Rainy Weather, Lewis Anchors the Year’s Fastest 400 Relay: 38.94

AUSTIN, Tex. — Carl Lewis and his Santa Monica Track Club teammates didn’t let a steady rain slow them down Saturday as they blazed to a Texas Relays record with the fastest 400-meter relay this year.

Lewis, holder of eight Olympic gold medals, anchored the invitational event victory by a solid 20 meters over the Prime Time Sports team with a clocking of 38.94 seconds. Prime Time Sports was second in 40.29.

Floyd Heard, Leroy Burrell and Mike Marsh made flawless handoffs in the slippery Memorial Stadium conditions, splashing through puddles on the artificial surface. They competed in skin-tight nylon running suits.

The time was far short of the world mark of 37.40 by the United States at Barcelona in the 1992 Olympics. Lewis, Marsh, Dennis Mitchell and Burrell ran on that gold-medal winning team.

Lewis said he was pleased with the time considering the conditions.

“I think we showed today we can win a lot of races with this team,” Lewis said. “We would have loved a better time but this wasn’t too bad. The weather could be like this in Eugene.”

The Lewis team will run in the Mt. San Antonio Relays in two weeks, compete in the USA Track and Field National Championships at Eugene, Ore., in June, and then move on to the world championships at Stuttgart, Germany, in August.