Friday, August 9
Lee Eppie (BOT)
4:05 AM
Mississippi State
vs
Men's 4x400m Relay First Round
Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Eppie Hopes To Continue State’s Olympic 4x400m Relay Success
July 31, 2024 | Track & Field, Olympic Games
PARIS, France – Mississippi State's Lee Eppie will make his Olympic debut for Botswana in the men's 4x400m relay. Eppie is one of six athletes available in the relay pool.
The first-round heats of the relay will take place on Friday, August 9 at 4:05 a.m. CT. The top three teams in each heat and the next two fastest will advance to the final on August 10 at 2:12 p.m. CT.
Eppie will look to expand Botswana's collection of medals won in the 4x400m relay. The country took home bronze in Tokyo after making the finals in 2004 in Athens and 2016 in Rio. Botswana currently holds the world lead, excluding collegiate teams, at 2:59.11, which it ran at the 2024 World Athletic Relays in The Bahamas.
Eppie has had a stacked rookie professional season, clocking three sub-46-second times in the open 400m. After winning silver with a personal-best of 45.39 at the African Athletics Championships, Lee punched his ticket to the Games in the relay pool. He ranks No. 25 in Africa in the men's 400m.
During Eppie's time as a Bulldog, he was a part of four of the five fastest 4x400m relays in school history. He was an indoor All-American in 2022, and a 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier, both in the 4x400m relay. He was also a part of the relay teams at the SEC Indoor and SEC Outdoor Championships in 2022 and 2023, scoring points at all four meets.
Of the four Olympic medals won in track and field by former Bulldogs, three came in the 4x400m relay, and two were won by African countries. Eppie has a chance to win his nation's first Olympic gold in any sport.
The races can be streamed on Peacock, and the final will be broadcast on NBC. Results will be available on Olympics.com along with MSU's State to Paris webpage and social media feeds.
For more information on the Bulldog track and field program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateTF."
Will make his Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games as a member of Botswana's relay pool ... Botswana's men's 4x400m relay qualified by winning the World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas, clocking a then-world-leading 2:59.11 ... won a silver medal in the 400m at the 2024 African Championships, finishing in a lifetime-best 45.39 ... ran on four of the five fastest indoor 4x400m relays in school history ... was an indoor All-American in the 4x400m relay in 2022 ... ran at the 2023 NCAA East Prelims in the 400m, falling two places shy of advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships ... clocked a collegiate-best 45.89 to win the 400m at the 2023 Crimson Tide Invitational ... finished third in the 400m at the Botswana Athletic Association meet in 2023, winning his finals heat ... also competed in the 4x400m at that event, running the third leg for a Botswana team that finished second in 3:04.49 ... won a silver medal at the 2017 African U-20 Championships as a member of Botswana's 4x400m relay team.
*participation dependent upon qualification
The first-round heats of the relay will take place on Friday, August 9 at 4:05 a.m. CT. The top three teams in each heat and the next two fastest will advance to the final on August 10 at 2:12 p.m. CT.
Eppie will look to expand Botswana's collection of medals won in the 4x400m relay. The country took home bronze in Tokyo after making the finals in 2004 in Athens and 2016 in Rio. Botswana currently holds the world lead, excluding collegiate teams, at 2:59.11, which it ran at the 2024 World Athletic Relays in The Bahamas.
Eppie has had a stacked rookie professional season, clocking three sub-46-second times in the open 400m. After winning silver with a personal-best of 45.39 at the African Athletics Championships, Lee punched his ticket to the Games in the relay pool. He ranks No. 25 in Africa in the men's 400m.
During Eppie's time as a Bulldog, he was a part of four of the five fastest 4x400m relays in school history. He was an indoor All-American in 2022, and a 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier, both in the 4x400m relay. He was also a part of the relay teams at the SEC Indoor and SEC Outdoor Championships in 2022 and 2023, scoring points at all four meets.
Of the four Olympic medals won in track and field by former Bulldogs, three came in the 4x400m relay, and two were won by African countries. Eppie has a chance to win his nation's first Olympic gold in any sport.
The races can be streamed on Peacock, and the final will be broadcast on NBC. Results will be available on Olympics.com along with MSU's State to Paris webpage and social media feeds.
For more information on the Bulldog track and field program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateTF."
Bulldog Bios
Lee Eppie (Botswana)
Personal Best (400m): 45.39 (June 23, 2024) | Season Best (400m): 45.39 (June 23) | World Rankings: 107th World; 5th BOTWill make his Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games as a member of Botswana's relay pool ... Botswana's men's 4x400m relay qualified by winning the World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas, clocking a then-world-leading 2:59.11 ... won a silver medal in the 400m at the 2024 African Championships, finishing in a lifetime-best 45.39 ... ran on four of the five fastest indoor 4x400m relays in school history ... was an indoor All-American in the 4x400m relay in 2022 ... ran at the 2023 NCAA East Prelims in the 400m, falling two places shy of advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships ... clocked a collegiate-best 45.89 to win the 400m at the 2023 Crimson Tide Invitational ... finished third in the 400m at the Botswana Athletic Association meet in 2023, winning his finals heat ... also competed in the 4x400m at that event, running the third leg for a Botswana team that finished second in 3:04.49 ... won a silver medal at the 2017 African U-20 Championships as a member of Botswana's 4x400m relay team.
Olympic Men's 4x400m Relay Schedule (all times CT)
Friday, Aug. 9
| Time | Event | Athletes | Country | Watch |
| 4:05 a.m. | Heats | Lee Eppie | BOT | USA Network |
Saturday, Aug. 10*
| Time | Event | Athletes | Country | Watch |
| 2:12 p.m. | Final | Lee Eppie | BOT | NBC |
Players Mentioned
4x400m Relay
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