Bolt has won the men’s 200m race at the 2016 Rio Olympics in style.
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Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt defeated their Italian opponents in straight sets to win the title.
Or was it being physically isolated, as the US women’s 400-meter relay team was Thursday when it was granted a rerun of its disastrous first-round heat and had only the clock to beat on an otherwise empty track at Olympic Stadium. Seven gold medals are up for grabs Friday in track and field, out of 22 overall in Rio. The American women seek a win in the 4×100 relay and US pole vaulter Jenn Suhr tries to defend her title.
“All I wanted to do was run the 200m and win an Olympic gold medal once, so to be an eight-time gold medallist now is a big deal”, he said.
“I t has been a pleasure being in same era as Usain Bolt”, the American said.
Arms pumping, hands clenching, face tightening, Bolt looked like the determined man who has said for years that the last time goal of his career is to re-break his 200m world record of 19.19 seconds and threaten the sub-19 barrier.
So far, there’s only one opponent that can really beat Bolt – and that’s time.
Bolt’s time of 19.78 seconds was the slowest of his four straight world championship and three Olympic triumphs over 200 meters but it certainly did not dampen the celebrations.
The victory takes Bolt closer to the historic triple-triple – combination of gold in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay in three consecutive Olympics.
Usain Bolt proved again that he is the greatest sprinter in human history.. I was in the inside, I knew Bolt would go and a lot of others would try and go with him. “Be among Ali and Pele”, he declared in the seconds after the win. He is now going to go all out to get the “triple triple” which is unprecedented. American Helen Maroulis upset Japan’s Saori Yoshida, the three-time reigning gold medalist, in women’s freestyle 53 kg wrestling to claim the first wrestling gold for USA women. Police now say the story was made up, and that the intoxicated athletes vandalized a gas station bathroom and were questioned by guards about the incident before they paid about $50 for the damage and left.
“Yesterday I felt so good, ran a personal best, and today I felt pretty good in my warm-up and I tried to execute the best way I know how and I just came up a little bit short”, De Grasse said, belying his desire to win.
Spain gets another chance Friday to knock off the USA men after being oh-so-close in the 2012 and 2008 Olympics. This is why I said it’s my last Olympics.
In the other semifinal, Australia plays Serbia.
The Games hired LA Lakers DJ Roueche to match the upbeat and vibrant tone of Rio at Copacabana Beach, and he delivered.
Russia’s synchronised swimmers are the hot favourites in the teams free routine final to continue the country’s total stranglehold on the sport stretching back to Sydney 2000.
The Swedish team is getting a reputation as a giant-killer in Rio.
While neither team in Thursday’s final has won an Olympic gold medal, Sweden’s coach Pia Sundhage is a two-time Olympian having coached the United States to win in 2008 and 2012.
With the US out, many figured host Brazil and national star Marta would be playing for gold.
There will be feverish scenes at the Corinthians Arena where Brazil is going for the bronze medal against Canada.
Brazilians adore the beach and the water – so nothing could be better for the Olympic host than picking up its latest two golds at those venues.
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“It’s actually how I hoped I could be taken out of the water”, Grael said.
