Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis, Allyson Felix and Courtney Okolo react after winning gold in the women’s 4×400-meter relay on day 15 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
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In the final night of Olympic track and field in Rio, the US women’s 4×400-meter team won its sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal. The Americans finished the race in 3:19.06, besting Jamaica’s 3:20.34 time.
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. The United States women’s 4×100-meter relay squad won its event against Jamaica and Great Britain, with a time of 41.01. And although the shoes were custom-made for Felix’s narrow feet rather than Gardner’s and were a half-size too big, “It was nothing an extra pair of socks couldn’t fix”, Gardner said.
American Matthew Centrowitz pulled of a shock victory in the 1,500m final on Saturday, stunning pre-race favorite Asbel Kiprop of Kenya to secure his country’s first gold medal in the event since 1908.
A gold medal in the 4×400 seemed like a strong possibility for the US women after Friday’s prelim when they breezed to the fastest qualifying time without using Felix or fellow veteran Natasha Hastings. “We knew a medal was up for grabs but we had to go out and deliver”, she said, after a superb run from Emily Diamond put Ohuruogu in position to seize third with the fastest of the four legs. But on back-to-back nights, she took relay gold, starting with the 4×100 on Friday. Okolo was just 2 years old then.
The Bahamas beat the Americans in a shocking upset at the 2012 Olympics after the US had won the event in Beijing and Athens. You make plans and you want things to go to a certain schedule – and nothing went according to the schedule.
Biles was chosen as the Team USA flag bearer for closing ceremony on Sunday, capping off a whirlwind two weeks that have seen the gymnast become one of the most successful athletes in these Games.
The U.S. track and field team added to its medal haul Friday.
The IAAF said Mohammed Ahmed of Canada and Muktar Edris of Ethiopia also were disqualified for the same reason.
Semenya won in a South African national record 1:55.28, while Niyonsaba was 1.21 seconds behind.
The United States women’s volleyball team won a bronze medal after its 3-1 defeat of the Netherlands.
Early Saturday, former Duck steeplechaser Claire Michel competed in her first Olympic triathlon for Belgium today but did not finish. Under a legal challenge, the IAAF was forced to drop the testosterone-limiting rules past year.
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Elodie Clouvel of France won silver with 1,356 points and bronze went to Nowacka with 1,349.
