“I heard her scream and she was like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ So I was like, ‘Ok, I had to have won the race”.
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Now, instead of a coronation for Felix, it’s a celebration for Miller, whose dive will go down as one of the most dramatic images of these Olympics.
As she lay shaking on the track, Miller appeared as shocked as everyone else by what she’d just done.
Lance Brauman, Miller’s coach, told the BBC the dive was “not intentional”.
This could be one of the biggest upsets for the U.S.at the Rio Olympics. Some scoffed at Miller, saying she didn’t deserve the gold medal.
Although Felix’s silver medal put her ahead of Jackie Joyner-Kersee as the most-decorated female American in Olympic track and field history, Allyson seemed too hurt by the loss against Miller to speak about the accomplishment. “Shaunae Miller, having given 100%, falls across the line to deny the legendary Allyson Felix”.
Felix said she “didn’t feel like I had any more left to give”. While she may have suffered an abrasion or two on her knee, it was Felix who was feeling the pain.
“It wasn’t my best race”, she admitted. Some people even called her a cheater, but it is important to note, that diving is totally legal when it comes to races. She will get a chance to add to her three golds on Tuesday in the floor exercise finals.
The Kenyan superstar, who blitzed the world record in taking gold four years ago, won going away as Algeria’s Taoufik Makhloufi taking silver and USA’s Clayton Murphy bronze.
With her silver, Felix became the most decorated track and field women in US history with seven medals.
But this was Miller’s night.
Her first gold came at London 2012, when she gold in the 200m race – as well as the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
Miller ended up with a few scrapes and bruises.
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“It’s definitely heartbreaking for me not to be there”, she said Friday of the 200 distance.
