Mo Farah cemented his place in British track and field history after becoming the first GB athlete to win three Olympic gold medals.
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Kenya’s Paul Kipngetich Tanui celebrates with the silver medal after the men’s 10,000-meter final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016. “In my mind, I was like “I can’t let her down”.
Ennis-Hill finished just 35 points adrift of Thiam’s winning total of 6,810 points, with Canada’s Brianne Thiesen-Eaton claiming bronze (6,653).
The race, however, was not an easy, or a predictable, win, even with Farah’s obvious talent. He won double-gold in the 10,000 and 5,000 in London, and is on pace to do so again in Rio.
Should he succeed, the 33-year-old Somali-born Farah would emulate Finnish great Lasse Viren as the only men to complete a “double double” by retaining the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000m titles he won in London four years ago. Every one of Farah’s victories have come in virtually the same way as he sits in behind a group of Ethiopians and Kenyans before blasting out an unstoppable final lap.
All was going to plan early on in the 10,000, when Farah was safely running in the pack with his American training partner Galen Rupp.
Canada’s Brianne Theisen-Eaton claimed bronze after a strong second day.
“That’s why I was so emotional at the end, it nearly went”. “That one moment could be it”. Thompson had the best start of the field and pulled away throughout the race, asserting her dominance over the field as she went on to win in 10.71 seconds, well clear of Team USA’s Tori Bowie, who won silver in 10.81.
In the blink of an eye, the rogue flick of a toe and the crash of a double Olympic champion thudding into the ground, Mo Farah feared his dreams were over.
Fraser-Pryce, who was struggling with a toe injury, said she was happy to be on the podium.
Trott, 24, won two gold in London so Saturday’s victory took her to the record three golds for a female British athlete.
Rutherford failed to retain his Olympic long jump title, settling for bronze behind American Jeff Henderson and South Africa’s Luvo Manyonga.
Usain Bolt began his bid for a “triple-triple” with a 10.07 100m heat – with arch rival Justin Gatlin the fastest qualifier in 10.01.
Earlier Team GB won gold in the men’s rowing eight and silver in the women’s event.
Seventeen minutes later, Becky James from Wales added another medal – a silver – in the women’s Keirin.
Invigorated, the 25-year-old then flew 8.37 meters on his next attempt, putting him at the top of the leaderboard and on course for Olympic gold.
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As the reigning Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European champion, Rutherford had been favorite ahead of the Games.
