It’s the ninth total medal, and sixth gold (five in relays), for Felix, the most decorated USA female track and field Olympian and tied with Merlene Ottey for most overall.
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But unlike some races, in which an additional runner could simply be added to the final, relays are limited to eight teams because there are only eight lanes that wrap completely around the track.
Team USA’s women’s basketball team beat Spain 101-72 to win the gold medal in the Summer Games.
Felix had been knocked off balance by Brazilian runner Kauiza Venancio as she prepared to hand off and they earned another chance despite China, who were denied a place in the final in the process, claiming that the U.S. team were to blame for the dropped baton.
Bartoletta peeled off to receive the gold medal she won in the long jump the night before.
This time, she ran a 49.66-second anchor lap in the 4×400.
Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis and Allyson Felix pose with their national flags after winning the gold.
English Gardner, Allyson Felix, Tianna Bartoletta and Tori Bowie of the United States celebrate winning gold in the Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Final on Day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Yes, the United States may have relay problems see, the mens 4×100, which flamed out again the night before but this certainly isnt one of them. The U.S. finished in 3:19.06, more than a second ahead of silver medalists Jamaica. “The adversity yesterday made us even more determined and we kept fighting the whole way through”, said Felix after the triumph late Friday in the Rio Olympic stadium.
Merritt looked equally relieved. Ayana, who set an awesome world record to win the 10,000m earlier in the week, had to be happy with bronze. Then, Merritt was a bit player in the Usain Bolt going-away party, finishing in fifth the 200. It was the sixth consecutive win in the event for the United States of America women and it was the fastest time in the world since the US won the gold medal in 2012.
As Felix had done minutes earlier, Merritt took a narrow lead and opened it way up.
The conclusion of her fourth Olympics – she made her debut at the 2004 Athens Games – left Felix reflecting on her career with satisfaction.
Lowe, 32, burst out laughing. It sounded and away she went alone in a first-of-its-kind Olympic relay race against the clock.
Lowe, eventual victor Ruth Beitia of Spain, Bulgaria’s Mirela Demireva and Croatia’s Blanka Vlasic all cleared 6 feet, 5 1/2 inches as their final height.
Elodie Clouvel of France won silver with 1,356 points and bronze went to Nowacka with 1,349.
Jamaica’s silver was their fifth straight medal in the event, following silver in 2000 and bronze in 2004, 2008 and 2012 while Britain claimed their first medal since 1992. “I am so blessed”, she said afterwards.
“Today it wasn’t really about me, it was a real team effort. They’re world-class people. They’re awesome women and I was happy to be there”, Grace said. “I have lost nothing out here”.
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It was the second-fastest women’s 4×100 relay ever, second only to the relay at the 2012 Olympic Games, where the American team set the world record.
