Betty Robinson wins silver with the U.S. women’s 4×100 m relay team at the Amsterdam 1928 Olympics, adding a second medal to her 100 m gold.
On 5 August 1928, just days after capturing the inaugural women’s 100 m title, Elizabeth "Betty" Robinson added a second Olympic medal at the Amsterdam Games by winning silver in the women’s 4×100 m relay for the United States. Running alongside her teammates, Robinson helped the U.S. team finish behind the victorious Canadian relay squad in a closely contested race.
This relay marked one of the first women’s team track events ever contested at the Olympics. For Robinson, who had only begun racing earlier that year, the silver medal demonstrated her versatility and confirmed that her 100 m victory was no isolated breakthrough. She transitioned from individual sprinting to relaying under international pressure, showing that women could perform complex team tactics such as baton exchanges at elite speed.
Historically, the 5 August 1928 relay underscores the rapid expansion of women’s Olympic participation. Robinson’s double‑medal performance—gold in the 100 m and silver in the 4×100 m—helped solidify public support for women’s track and field, even amid ongoing debates about whether such events were appropriate for women. Her role on the relay team also highlighted the collaborative dimension of women’s sport: success now depended on coordinated female squads, not just exceptional individuals. The race contributed to Robinson’s reputation as a pioneering figure in women’s athletics and reinforced the legitimacy of women’s relays as standard Olympic events.