Along for Bolt’s final trip down the track were Nickel Ashmeade, training partner Yohan Blake and the Jamaican elder statesman, former world-record holder Asafa Powell.
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The night’s main event, though was Bolt’s Olympic farewell.
Canada were elevated to bronze after their run of 37.64, a national record which gave Andre de Grasse his third medal of the Games after his bronze in the 100m and silver in the 200m. “I never knew this would happen when I started out”, Bolt told reporters.
Sweden has been accused of playing cowardly, defensive football on its way to the women’s Olympic final – will it change tactics for the gold-medal match?
The Jamaican flew round the bend but appeared to tie up down the home straight as he crossed the line in 19.78 seconds.
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“He (Bolt) broke the barrier and showed people that anything is possible”, said Bromell, 1.73m (5’8″).
At the same time, silver for Jamaica allowed Veronica Campbell-Brown to win a medal at a fifth Olympics dating back to the 2000 Sydney Games.
Although he alone goes down in the record books with nine gold medals, Bolt was quick to thank his teammates for their contribution.
“I hope I’ve set the bar high enough that no one can do it again”, said Bolt whose departure is a second blow to the Olympics after the retirement of swimming legend Michael Phelps with his 23 career golds.
Bolt bent down to kiss the finish lane in lane six, his lane, as he completed his lap of honour before performing his signature “Lightning Bolt” pose, to huge cheers. Running the second leg in the relay, Felix kept the USA up there with the mighty Jamaicans, before English Gardner and Tori Bowie brought the baton, tightly clenched in their hands, home for gold.
The US quartet were then ordered to return to the track to run a solo time trial in order to qualify for Friday’s final, which they duly did with a fastest time of 41.77sec.
“It felt like we were really strong tonight”. The group posted a time of 3:21.42, the best of any team Friday night.
Germany are the Women’s Football champions.
Expect a high-quality climax to the women’s hockey completion when the Netherlands takes on Great Britain. Police said the swimmers had vandalized the gas station.
“The commission members can ask to hear the swimmers and we will see if there is material for a sanction”, an International Olympic Committee official said. “I’m the first Indian woman to get a silver medal at the Olympics so that’s a great thing for me”, she beamed. In an all-European final at the Maracana Stadium, the Germans defeated Sweden 2-1.
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Bolt took a couple throws of the javelin, the last one going about 50 meters.
