SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016 SPORTS Felix hits gold record as US women win relay ATHLETICS RIO DE JANEIRO: Allyson Felix became the first woman athlete with five gold medals as she powered the US sprint relay team to victory just a day after they had been brought back from the Olympic dead. Felix, long jump gold medallist Tianna Bartoletta, English Gardner and Tori Bowie, who won 100m silver and 200m bronze in Rio, combined to clock the second fastest 4x100m relay time ever run, in 41.01 sec- onds. Only the gold-medal winning US team at the 2012 London Games has gone faster. Jamaica finished second in 41.36sec, hand- ing double sprint gold medallist Elaine Thompson a third Olympic medal, with Britain taking bronze in a national record of 41.77. “It felt like we were really strong tonight. The adversity yesterday made us even more determined and we kept fight- ing the whole way through,” said Felix after the triumph late Friday in the Rio Olympic stadium. The US team were forced into a solo re- run of their qualifier on Thursday, having RIO DE JANEIRO: The United States team from left, English Gardner, Tori Bowie, Tianna Bartoletta and Allyson Felix RIO DE JANEIRO: Jamaica’s Usain Bolt cele- overturned a disqualification for a dropped celebrate winning the gold medal in the women’s 4x100-meter relay final during the athletics competitions of the brates winning the gold medal in the men’s baton exchange between Felix and 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. —AP 4 x 100-meter relay final, during the athlet- Gardner. Replays showed that Felix had ics competitions of the 2016 Summer been knocked off-balance by Brazilian run- pened in the first round. We had to leave it journey to this point has been tumultuous. 200m in the British capital. Felix also won Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de ner Kauiza Venancio as she prepared to with the authority,” she said. “It’s really neat It’s special.” Jamaica’s Thompson also had silver in the 400m earlier this week, a feat sharing with these special ladies. We had no complaints after adding to her double that saw her become the most decorated Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. —AP hand off and they got another chance. “I think yesterday proved that you never fun out there,” beamed Felix. sprint titles. “It’s been a wonderful experi- female Olympian in US track and field his- know what you’re going to get. But some- “I’m very proud to look back on my ence, my first Olympic Games. Two golds, a tory, breaking her tie with Jackie Joyner- times adversity makes you stronger. We career and see what the sport of track and silver, I can’t complain,” she said. Kersee, with a total of seven medals. each have had a rocky road here, a different field has given me. Bartoletta, whose two Felix’s fifth gold made her the female It was also a historic night for Jamaican journey, a unique experience and we just world long jump titles remarkably came 10 athlete to have won the most, having previ- veteran Campbell-Brown, who became the came together,” said Felix, whose team won years apart, with a stint on the US bobsled ously claimed golds in the sprint relay in second athlete to win a medal in athletics ATHLETICS gold from the highly unfavoured inside team sandwiched in between, was delight- London, and as part of the 4x400m relays in at five Olympic Games after Merlene Ottey, lane, with its tight corners. ed with her double gold. 2008 and 2012. her fellow Jamaican who switched alle- “I’m extremely happy,” she said. “The Her sole individual title came in the giance to Slovenia late in her career. —AFP It’s over - Bolt “It was a crazy, freak accident what hap- makes dreaded Olympic farewell ATHLETICS RIO DE JANEIRO: The Olympics is going to miss the Lightning Bolt pose that has lit up the last three Games at a time when athletics desperately needs a hero. When Usain Bolt crosses the finish line and starts Cheruiyot’s pounding his chest, it resonates with the public around the world. 16-year-wait But after his 4x100m triumph in Rio on Friday, the Rio crowd celebrated in the knowledge that they were witnessing the departure of a legend. From his first ends, takes to 100m Olympic gold in Beijing, when the Jamaican astonished the world with his 9.69sec time, Usain St Leo Bolt has been the real star. On top of his record- the marathon equalling nine athletics gold medals, Bolt, who will be RIO DE JANEIRO: After a 16-year-year wait, Kenya’s multi- 30 on Sunday, is confident, relaxed and supremely con- ple world champion, Vivian Cheruiyot finally lived her nected with the crowds he attracts wherever he goes. dream on Friday to win Olympic gold, then announced she His mother seems to think that the young Bolt, who would switch to road racing. will retire after next year’s world championships, was Cheruiyot, holder of four world titles in 5,000m and born to run. Born in Trelawny parish near Montego Bay- 10,000m, and who returned from maternity leave last year where a host of sprinters including the shamed Ben to clinch the world double in Beijing, beat Ethiopian Almaz Johnson also come from-Bolt was something special Ayana to a surprise 5,000m Olympic gold medal in the from the start, according to Jennifer Bolt. Olympic Stadium. She led a Kenyan one-two for a country’s “After three weeks he was pushing because he was first Olympic victory over the distance in 14:26.17, breaking so strong,” the mother said. the Games record. Former world indoor 3,000m champion, “One day, I left him on the bed and when I came Helen Onsando Obiri, took silver, with Ayana, who tried to back he was close to falling off, so from here I was say- set a fast pace as she did with the 10,000m last Saturday, RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s Alison Cerutti, left, and teammate Bruno Oscar Schmidt stand on the podium ing, ‘What kind of child he is?” she recalled. having to settle for bronze. after winning the gold medal in the men’s beach volleyball competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics By the age of 12, Bolt was the fastest in his school. “I have been waiting for this moment for so long, from in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. —AP “He was always on top,” she said. 2000, 2008 and 2012. Finally I have won the Olympic gold. I now believe that one should never lose hope,” Cheruiyot, SLOW STARTER 32, told Reuters. She went to the London Olympics four A school cricket coach urged him to try track and years ago as a hot favourite for a double gold, but was dis- Brazil wins beach field and his talent gradually grew, though as in his appointed to return home with 10,000m silver and 5,000m races his progression was not always fast out of the bronze. blocks. “Now that I have achieved my dream, this will be my last At the world youth championships in 2001, he was track event,” she said, though she added she intended to volleyball gold entered for the 200m but failed to make the finals. His defend her world title in London next year. coaches were often frustrated at his reluctance to train “I am moving to marathon and I will be running in the and his practical jokes. Newcastle Half-Marathon next month to prepare for the But at the age of 15 he was already 1.96 metres (6ft London marathon next year,” said Cheruiyot. the call, but by the time the score hit the scoreboard 5in) and at the world junior championships in 2002 he “I did not believe that I could beat Ayana. Before the the Brazilian athletes were already in the stands. won the 200m. He is one of just a handful of athletes to race, I knew she was going to win, but Helen Obiri told me “We tried everything to win the game,” Nicolai have won world titles at junior, youth and senior levels. she is not unbeatable. BEACH VOLLEYBALL said. “They were the best, for sure.” Some fans cov- “We saw her during the 10,000m and something was The after-effects of a leg injury meant he did not get ered their heads with the ever-present green and yel- not right with her today. She was not running smoothly. past the first round in the 200m at the 2004 Athens RIO DE JANEIRO: Alison and Bruno stood on the top low flags in an attempt to stay dry. Others wore pon- Olympics, where his Rio rival Justin Gatlin won the We said if she does 66 seconds per lap, we would do 68 step of the Olympic podium, holding back tears as and remain behind her. chos and waved their flags and celebrate each point 100m. the booming voices of the Carioca singing the scored by the locals. Bolt set his first 100m world record (9.72sec) in May “When we confirmed she was struggling, I told Helen to attack, and I would follow. I saw the gap closing, then I said Brazilian national anthem rose above the waves As he has throughout the tournament, Alison 2008 in New York. The Jamaican then stormed the crashing against Copacabana beach.