Americans Kristi Castlin, Brianna Rollins and Nia Ali celebrate their medals sweep in the 100-meter hurdles.
Advertisement
Brianna Rollins (gold, centre), Nia Ali (right, silver) and Kristi Castlin (bronze) celebrate the U.S. women sweep of the 100m hurdles at the Rio Olympic Stadium August 17, 2016.
The trio of friends shrieked in delight and jumped up and down on the track in an embrace when the scoreboard confirmed they had secured the first Olympic podium sweep in the women’s sprint hurdles.
Last year, six of the 10 fastest run times in the world belonged to Americans, but the team failed to medal at the world championships.
Allison Felix was favored to earn her fifth gold medal in Olympic Games competition but fell short when victor Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas lunged at the tape, narrowly defeating her in 49.44 for first place and the gold medal.
Gold medal winner Brianna Rollins, center, silver medal winner, Nia Ali, right, and bronze medal winner Kristi Castlin, all from the United States, pose with their country’s flag after the 100-meter hurdles final, during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. “I’m just happy to share the moment with Kristi and Nia”.
In the women’s long jump final, the USA went 1-2, with reigning world champion Tianna Bartoletta edging the defending Olympic champion Brittney Reese for gold with her fifth jump of 7.17 meters. “I feel, when I was young, I definitely had a lot of good guidance but sometimes I didn’t have someone of my age that I really could talk too”.
She started things off by unseating Reese, the defending Olympic champion, in the long jump. Rollins won gold in the 100 hurdles with a time of 12.48. They placed top three at the toughest event at the U.S. Olympic Trials and then they outclassed the rest of the world’s best hurdlers to make history together in Rio. “We were able to come out here and fulfill our dreams”.
“I was overweight and not training properly and just couldn’t jump anymore”, Bartoletta said.
Shortly after Bolt advanced to the final of the men’s 200-meter dash, Thompson won the race on the women’s side.
“Losing my father at the age of 12 to gun violence, I’ve overcome so much”, she said.
Advertisement
To think, the evening got off on the wrong foot when Justin Gatlin surprisingly went out in the semifinals of the 200. LaShawn Merritt will be the lone American in the race.
