Rudisha was soon upstaged by the Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller, who threw herself head-first across the line to snatch victory from flummoxed American favourite Allyson Felix.
Advertisement
Shericka Jackson of Jamaica earned the bronze in 49.85.
Rudisher defended his title in the fastest time in the world this year.
Rudisha became the first man in 52 years to clinch back-to-back 800 titles after producing a phenomenal last lap kick to win in 1 minute, 42.15 seconds.
The 27-year-old crossed the line several metres ahead of Algeria’s Taoufik Makhloufi, the London Games gold medal victor over 1500m.
In front of an electric crowd of Brazilian fans, Thiago Braz Da Silva brashly skipped his clearance at 5.98m and vaulted himself to Olympic glory with a attractive jump at 6.03m to beat out defending champion and world-record holder Renee Lavillenie.
“As citizens of Brazil and as sports fans we don’t think booing is the right attitude, even when you are in a one-to-one competition and a young Brazilian has the chance to beat the world champion”, he said.
After two botched efforts at 6.03 Lavillenie pitched everything on a last-gasp vault at 6.08m, but failed and had to be content with silver with a best of 5.98m. “It is great to win such a big competition, my second gold”, Rudisha said.
She won the event at the London 2012 Games and was going for her fifth Olympic gold medal. “I don’t really know what happened”, said Biles.
“This day is the best day of my life”, said the victor who has the 11 best throws all-time in the event.
“At least then we’d have people in the stadium who want to watch sport”.
“After this, I thought a gold medal with 6.03 and Olympic record, it’s so good”.
Felix, 30, is a three-time 200m world champion.
Italy’s Elia Viviani recovered from a crash before breaking down in floods of tears in his parents’ arms after winning the Olympic cycling men’s omnium gold on Monday. “Because I took that as an insult”.
“There was nothing I could do about that and give Viviani credit, he was strong”, said Cavendish.
The support of the public crowd and they’re chant helped him to take home the gold medal.
“To have made it gold would have filled the collection but that’s the way I am”.
“So I was like, “Ok, I had to have won the race”.
“I’m disappointed. It’s been a tough year and I was kind of hoping it would come together”, she said.
Advertisement
Team USA’s success in the event continued on the men’s side, as Donald Cabral finished with the third best time of the first round.
