Miller, a 22-year-old from the Bahamas, stayed even with Felix for 398 meters, then sprawled, dived and crashed across the line to edge Felix by.07 seconds.
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No, that’s no error.
She won the race from lane seven continuing the trend of outside lanes providing surprising results.
Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson earned the bronze medal.
“When I was on the ground I didn’t know I’d won, I still don’t know how it happened. My mind just went blank”, Miller said in Rio.
Despite not nabbing her fifth Olympic gold medal, Felix said she left the race proud of her effort.
The Bahamian’s win has been controversial, with many taking to social media to criticize her diving at the finish.
“It wasn’t my best race”, Felix, now the most decorated woman in American track and field history, said during a Tuesday appearance on the Today show.
I’m amazed, and it looks like I’m not the only one who’s more than a little impressed by Shaunae Miller’s win-at-all-costs mentality. That puts her past Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s record and makes her the most decorated USA female track athlete of all time.
Allyson Felix tore down the runway looking for a dramatic, golden finish Monday night at Olympic Stadium.
“I’ve got a few cuts and bruises but I’m OK”.
Evidently, both the athletes had their eyes fixed on the gold medal, but things took an unexpected turn, when Miller, nearing the end, chose to dive across the finish line belly-first, outdoing Felix who was still running. The two competitors were fiercely breathing against each other’s neck all the way to the finish line when suddenly Miller made her unorthodox dive and won the gold medal. That gold is hers forever.
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“I just kept on telling myself to keep on chipping away at the gap, and once I got my position, all I wanted was to hold it”, Coburn, 25, told reporters. “It’s been a tough one and I really hoped it would come together tonight”.
