 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Images from the athletics action at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris, on Thursday.
American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone obliterated her own 400 metres hurdles World record with a time of 50.37 seconds to retain her Olympic title on Thursday.
Anna Cockrell made it a US 1-2 in a time of 51.87 and Dutchwoman Femke Bol, who had been expected to challenge for gold, faded in the last 50 metres to take bronze in 52.15.
It was the sixth time McLaughlin-Levrone had broken the World record, lowering her previous mark of 50.65 set at the US trials in June.
The crowd at the Stade de France went into a frenzy when it became clear a new all-time best was within her reach and she fittingly rang the victory bell with a glittering tiara perched on her head.
The first woman to break the 52 and 51-second barriers, McLaughlin-Levrone has been on a mission to rewrite the history books whenever she competes, turning the 400 hurdles into a marquee event - and herself into a superstar - in the process.
"It’s amazing to see our sport continue to grow, for people to want to watch the 400m hurdles, it’s amazing. Just a lot of hard work put in this year," she told reporters.
"I knew it was going to be a tough race. An amazing competition all the way round."
She walked to her blocks like a prize fighter stepping into the ring, expressionless despite the chorus of cheers that greeted her, and wrested the lead from the moment the gun went off, gliding over each barrier with ease.
Bol, the only other woman to have cracked 51 seconds, was widely seen as McLaughlin-Levrone's closet challenger and had a large Dutch cohort in the stands on her side, but she lost steam five days after she delivered gold in the mixed relay.
Davis-Woodhall takes women's long jump gold
American Tara Davis-Woodhall soared to Olympic gold in the women's long jump on Thursday, sealing victory with a gigantic fourth leap to improve on her silver medal performance at last year's World Championships.
The 25-year-old posted 7.10 metres to take the title from Tokyo Olympic gold medallist and three-times World champion Malaika Mihambo of Germany, who claimed silver with 6.98.
"I've dreamed of this moment my entire life, four years old when I started track and field," Davis-Woodhall said.
"I've been telling myself all year: '8-0-8 (Aug. 8), that's the day we win the Olympics.'"
American Jasmine Moore jumped 6.96 to secure her second bronze of the Games, after finishing third in the triple jump.
Davis-Woodhall, who has the word "sacrifice" tattooed on her body, had victory locked up before her final jump after the 30-year-old Mihambo ran through the pit on her sixth attempt.
The American choked back tears before her last sprint down the runway. She stood up briefly after landing, then fell back into the sand with a wide smile to the delight of the Stade de France crowd.
Davis-Woodhall, who was sixth at the Tokyo Olympics, tasted global victory for the first time when she won the World indoor title in March.
But that could not compare to an Olympic gold medal, and the elated athlete made a beeline for the trackside crowd, leaping into the arms of her husband and Paralympic sprinter Hunter Woodhall. She then hugged coach Travis Geopfert.
Holloway powers to elusive 110m hurdles gold
Grant Holloway of the United States finally added the Olympic 110 metres hurdles gold to his sizeable trophy cabinet, exploding out of the blocks as usual before cruising to victory.
The 26-year-old, who had claimed virtually every major title in a dominant half decade including three World Championship gold medals, clocked 12.99 seconds.
"It means the world to officially have it complete," Holloway told reporters. "To complete the career Grand Slam is what I've been wanting. I'm beside myself right now. So happy about everything going on."
US teammate Daniel Roberts lunged at the finish line before tumbling to the track to claim silver in 13.09 seconds, beating Jamaica's bronze medallist Rasheed Broadbell by three-thousandths of a second in a photo finish.
Holloway, surprisingly beaten by Jamaica's Hansle Parchment at the Tokyo Olympics, had downplayed talk that he desperately needed a victory in Paris.
"I knew I was in shape, I knew I was capable of completing this feat. I officially did it," said Holloway, who jokingly wiped away fake tears after ringing the stadium's victory bell.
"I'm looking forward to what's to come. The future is so bright. Everything else that I can do, I know it's going to be great."
What is to come could well be a World record. His career best time of 12.81 is just a hundredth off the record set by American Aries Merritt in 2012.
"I've been hurdling so well this year, I'm in great shape, I just want to keep this going," he said.
As often happens in Holloway's races, the mystery was who would come second, and there were tense moments before the silver and bronze medallists' names flashed up on the screen.
Tokyo champion Parchment finished eighth.
