As a consolation, they’d have to run in the undesirable inside lane.
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Just when it seemed like American pole vaulter Sandi Morris would clinch the gold medal with her final pass, the sliiiightest (and most heartbreaking) of bumps against the pole at the last moment knocked her down to second place, with Greece’s Ekateríni Stefanídi claiming the top prize instead.
The win for the USA women’s 4×400-meter relay team was clear-cut. “It’s been a wonderful experience, my first Olympic Games”. USC athletes have now earned 18 medals, including eight gold, at the Rio Games.
“It’s special”, Felix said.
“This one wasn’t an individual medal and the great thing is I get to share it with these great friends”.
This time, she ran a 49.66-second anchor lap in the 4×400.
Nazarov, world silver medallist in Beijing a year ago, heaved a best of 78.68 metres to finish ahead of Belarus’ convicted doping cheat Ivan Tsikhan (77.79m). After the disqualification, the bronze went to Canada. “Two golds, a silver, I can’t complain”, she said.
Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis and Felix got the baton around and carried it home without incident, a nice change following the mishap in the 400-meter relay preliminary that led to an appeal and a re-run before Felix anchored that group to gold.
The U.S. 4×100 relay team of Allyson Felix, Tori Bowie, English Gardner and Tianna Bartoletta celebrate after winning the gold on Friday in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Yes, the United States may have relay problems – see, the men’s 4×100, which flamed out again the night before – but this certainly isn’t one of them. For Gardner, the gold avenges a 100 final in which she placed seventh, after winning the U.S. Olympic Trials.
The look on Felix’s face as she crossed the line and waved the green baton said what words could not: Thank goodness, it’s finally over. “It’s one of the most disciplined years I’ve ever had, and when you do everything right, and it still goes wrong, you kind of wonder, what was it?” “Nothing went according to schedule”. Then, Merritt was a bit player in the Usain Bolt going-away party, finishing sixth in the 200 a race he considered pure gravy. Arman Hall, Tony McQuay, Gil Roberts and LaShawn Merritt were timed in 2:57.30, ahead of Jamaica (2:58.16) and the Bahamas (2:58.49).
Nick Willis, who took silver at the London Games, overcame several injury-plagued seasons to snatch a bronze medal in his fourth Olympic games. This race has gone to American teams six straight times.
It was also a historic night for Jamaican veteran Campbell-Brown, who became the second athlete to win a medal in athletics at five Olympic Games after Merlene Ottey, her fellow Jamaican who switched allegiance to Slovenia late in her career.
The United States women’s volleyball team won a bronze medal after its 3-1 defeat of the Netherlands.
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Semenya won in a South African national record 1:55.28, while Niyonsaba was 1.21 seconds behind. Kenya’s Margaret Wambui won bronze in 1:56.89.
