Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas won the women’s 400m final with a diving finish, preventing American Allyson Felix from capturing a fifth Olympic gold medal.
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With both runners in a near lock approaching the finish line, Miller dove for the finish and narrowly sealed gold.
Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson took bronze in 49.85. She was gaining steady ground on Shaunae Miller as the two came up to the finish line. Kersee’s husband, Bob, is Felix’s longtime coach. Miller managed to run a personal best in the damp conditions, and Felix pulled out a season-best time, in a year in which she bounced back from an ankle ligament injury.
She was one of those rare athletes who had the cachet to get the Olympics to change the schedule.
Her silver on Monday is the 20th track medal she has won at the Olympics or World Championships since her debut in the Athens Games in 2004. She missed qualifying for the 200-meter by.01 seconds.
While Felix was denied the gold medal, the silver did make her the most decorated US women’s track and field star in history.
Suddenly, what once was a quest for two golds transformed into a struggle to simply make the Olympic team. Then, Miller showed up and handed Felix her third Olympic disappointment.
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It was not the medal she wanted, however.
