Jason Kenny defeated Callum Skinner in an all-Britain final to defend his cycling individual sprint gold and win his second gold of the Rio Games.
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Don’t get us wrong, it was by no means underwhelming, but there were plenty of questions floating around as to why Monday’s (AEST) 100m final in Rio was so slow (yes, a very relative term).
Few Olympians will have experienced a welcome as hostile as the one afforded to the American.
Gatlin made Bolt work for it, the way he has for the past four years.
Bolt, who has said this will be his last Olympics, now possesses seven golds overall and has yet to be defeated in a final.
“It was brilliant”, Bolt said of his race. Rio’s Games had avoided the awkward prospect of the victor of its blue riband event being booed on the podium.
Usain Bolt strikes his “lightning bolt” pose after winning the 100-meter.
Usain Bolt has criticised Rio 2016 organisers after winning his third consecutive Olympic 100m title, claiming that the contracted rest time between the semi-finals and the final affected his performance. “I told you guys I was going to do it”, he said after becoming the first man to win three 100m sprints with a time of 9.81sec.
Indeed he did. But he did more than win yet another gold medal he confirmed his immortality in the sport. “I know he always gets a good start and I knew I had to take my time and chip away at the lead”.
Appearing at his fourth Olympics, Gatlin picked up a fifth medal – albeit not the one he had hoped for.
While Bolt was given a hero’s reception on his way to the start line, there were noticeable jeers for the controversial Gatlin, who has twice been suspended for doping violations.
Gatlin was asked about the comments on Saturday, replying: “I don’t even know who Lilly King is”.
“I was never anxious that I’d lose this”, said Sumgong.
“I expected to go faster, but I’m happy that I won”, Bolt told BBC Sport.
“At the end of the day, you hear everything”, Gatlin said. “I would like to see everyone have respect in the audience as well”. Gatlin, meanwhile, endured a chorus of boos when he came to the track for both the semifinals and the final. There is no rivalry or bad blood between us. “And he has pushed me to be the athlete I am today”.
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“I didn’t expect the race to unfold the way it did”. Bolt’s coach suggested that the sprinter continues to Tokyo 2020. “If I fail I’m going to be sad, I’m not going to feel accomplished”.
