Sports

U.S. women run away with medley

LONDON — America’s dominance in the Olympic women’s 4×400-meter relay continued last night with yet another resounding victory.

The U.S. women led the entire race, with each leg increasing the lead until anchor Sanya Richards-Ross cruised home to the easy victory.

“By the time I got the stick, it was basically a victory lap,’’ Richards-Ross said. “The ladies were phenomenal. They made it too easy for me.”

The U.S. women, who haven’t lost the 4×400 relay since the 1992 Barcelona Games, finished in 3 minutes, 16.87 seconds to win America’s fifth consecutive Olympic title in the event. Russia was second in 3:20.23 and Jamaica third in 3:20.95.

DeeDee Trotter ran the opening leg for the U.S. and built a 10-meter lead before handing off to Allyson Felix, who doubled the lead by the time she passed the baton to Francena McCorory.

POST’S OLYMPIC COVERAGE

Richards-Ross, the wife of former Giants and current Jaguars defensive back Aaron Ross, was given such a huge lead she had little to do in the anchor leg. She took baton with a 40-meter advantage and held that margin through the end.

Felix and Richards-Ross ran two of the final four legs of the gold medal relay in Beijing for years ago. The win is the fourth gold in track and field for the American women.

It gave Felix three gold medals in these Games (including the 4×100 and 200) and a second gold for Richards-Ross. Felix now has six Olympic medals (four golds), while Richards-Ross has five (four golds).

U.S. high jumper Brigetta Barrett won a silver medal to lift the U.S. track and field team medal total to 29, one shy of the goal the team set before the Games.

South African Caster Semenya, whose gender was questioned after winning the world championships in 2009, took the silver in the women’s 800.