Day 15: Bolt anchors Jamaica to relay gold in world record

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, August 12, 2012
Adjust font size:

Usain Bolt anchored Jamaica's 4x100m relay team to victory in world record time of 36.84 seconds at the Olympic Games on Saturday while China's boxer Zou Shiming edged Thailand's Kaeo Pongprayoon to retain his light flyweight title.

The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium peaked for the 4x100 men's final where the Jamaican quartet slashed 0.2 seconds off their own world mark. The triumph also means Bolt has now claimed an incredible sprint treble of 100, 200 and 4x100 relay in London and Beijing.

 

Usain Bolt anchored Jamaica's 4x100m relay team to victory in world record time of 36.84 seconds at the Olympic Games on Saturday 

 

"It's always a beautiful feeling to end off like this," said Bolt.

The Americans, who also fielded a fearsome line-up including Justin Gatlin, bronze medal winner earlier in the week, Tyson Gay and Ryan Bailey, took silver in 37.04 seconds, which equalled the old best. Trinidad and Tobago had bronze.

Bolt and his company were not to be denied, even though they had to be at their best as Trell Kimmons and Gatlin opened a narrow lead for the U.S. in the first 200 meters. Yahon Blake put Bolt in touching distance for the last 100 meters and the fastest man in the world did the rest, overhauling and pulling ahead of Bailey.

Another star of Saturday night's athletics was Mo Farah, who completed the long-distance double by adding the 5,000m to his 10,000m gold from a week earlier.

The Olympic stadium erupted in a volcano of noise as the Somali-born athlete held off Kenyan and Ethiopian challengers to win the race in 13 minutes 41.66 seconds.

"It's unbelievable. Two gold medals, who would have thought that?" said Farah.

The other four golds on the final day at the Olympic Stadium went to Russia from Olga Chicherova (high jump), Mariya Savinova (800m), Elena Lashmanova (20km walk) and Sergey Kirdyapkin (50km walk).

These victories boosted the Russians' gold medal haul to 21, just seven less than third-placed Britain. By the end of the penultimate day, China's medals total stood at 85, with 38 gold, 26 silver and 21 bronze, while the United States stayed clear of the medal tally with 42 gold, 29 silver and 29 bronze.

China captured one gold on Saturday when boxer Zou Shiming edged Thailand's Kaeo Pongprayoon to retain his light flyweight title.

Leading 6-4 after two rounds, Zou came under a sustained assault in the third and was penalized for pushing - adding two points to his opponent's score. But Pongprayoon was given the same penalty later to allow Zou a 13-10 triumph.

"I've promised to bring back home another gold, and today I honored my promise," said the 31-year-old Zou.

But the Chinese 'Dream Team' of divers suffered another upset when American David Boudia upstaged hot favorite Qiu Bo in the men's 10m platform final for the gold. Tom Daley, Team GB's medal hopeful, took bronze.

Boudia, who had only squeezed into the semifinals in the last available place, coming 18th in the preliminaries, said he couldn't believe it's real.

"I can't believe that I am Olympic champion. 24 hours ago, I barely got into the semifinals, and now there's a gold medal around my neck. This is so surreal right now," he said.

Qiu, who has won every major competition over the past two years, was left punching the wall in frustration at the end. "Although I lost, I am not disappointed," said the 19-year-old Chinese. "David Boudia was performing really well. I think it's a challenge from God."

Chinese divers won six gold out of eight events. They also lost the men's three-meter springboard.

Meanwhile, Cao Zhongrong earned China's first Olympic medal in the modern pentathlon when he finished second behind Czech Republic military officer David Svoboda.

Qieyang Shenjie, the first Tibetan athlete China has ever fielded in the Olympics, also added to the country's medal tally with a bronze in the women's 20km walk.

"I'm extremely honored to take part as the first representative of the Tibetans at the Olympic Games and to win a medal," said the 22-year-old.

Elsewhere, favorites Brazil were beaten 2-1 by Mexico in the men's soccer final, dashing the country's hopes of claiming an elusive Olympic gold in the sport. The five-time World Cup winners, bronze medalists in Beijing in 2008, also lost in the Olympic final in 1984 and 1988.

But the hosts of the 2016 Games found consolation soon when their women's volleyball team overwhelmed the United States 11-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17 to defend their Olympic title.

The Americans won their fifth straight Olympic gold medal in women's basketball, while Norway took a gold in women's handball and Germany won gold in the men's field hockey.

Off the sports action, a female Syrian athlete has been kicked out of the Games for doping. The IOC said 400m hurdler Ghfran Almouhamad tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine on Aug. 3.

Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter