Two of the signature relay events had HBCU representation today at the 2012 London Olympics.Chris Brown (2nd from left) celebrates with teammates Ramon Miller, Michael Mathieu and Demetrius Pender after winning the gold medal in the 4x400m relay

Chris Brown (Norfolk State) ran the first leg as the Bahamas earned the gold medal and set a national record of 2:56.72 in the men's 4x400m relay finals this afternoon. Team USA was second and Trinidad & Tobago finished third.

Brown ran the anchor leg for the Bahamian team in Round 1 which tied Team USA with the fastest qualifying time going into the finals.

This marks Brown’s first career Olympic gold medal. He helped the Bahamas win silver in the same event in 2008 in Beijing. Brown, who placed fourth in the individual 400 meters in 2008 and 2012, also owns gold medals from the 2007 Pan American Games (400 meters and 4x400 relay) and the 2010 World Indoor Championships (400 meters).

Former NSU track athletes have now won five Olympic gold medals, all in relay events. Before Friday, the last of those medals came in 2000, when Chandra Sturrup (Bahamas), Brian Lewis (USA) and Tim Montgomery (USA) all won gold in the 4x100 meter relay in Sydney, Australia.

Francena McCorory (Hampton) ran the second leg to help Team USA qualify for the finals of the women's 4x400m relay.  Lenora Guion-Firmin (Md-Eastern Shore) did not run in the preliminary round but could race for France, whose relay team also qualified for the finals, Saturday afternoon at 3:25pm ET.

Courtesy: Norfolk State Athletic Communications, Hampton Athletic Communications, London2012.com