American Masai Russell wins Olympic women's 100m hurdles gold
America's Masai Russell won a photo finish Saturday to capture gold in the women's 100-meter hurdles.
Masai Russell of the United States claimed the gold medal in a thrilling women's 100-meter hurdle final at the Olympics, in a race that came down to a photo finish. Russell's victory, decided by the smallest of margins, added another chapter to her nation's rich history in this event. The race, a tense and tightly contested affair, saw Russell cross the finish line in 12.33 seconds, but the real drama unfolded in the moments that followed. It took an additional 15 seconds for the official confirmation that she had, in fact, won the gold, beating France's Cyréna Samba-Mayela by just one-hundredth of a second. The defending champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, representing Puerto Rico, finished a close third, just two-hundredths of a second behind Russell.
Samba-Mayela's silver medal was a significant achievement, not just for herself but also for the host country, France. Her second-place finish on the last day of events at the Stade de France ensured that the host nation did not leave the stadium empty-handed. The French crowd had been enthusiastic throughout the nine nights of competition, cheering on athletes from a variety of nations, but they reserved their loudest cheers for their own. The previous biggest cheer had been for French swimmer Léon Marchand, who had won gold on the opening night, causing a brief interruption as officials asked for quiet while the excited crowd celebrated.
The women's 100m hurdle final was not the only race decided by the narrowest of margins. In the men's 800-meter event, Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Canada's Marco Arop crossed the finish line in a blur, with Wanyonyi taking gold by just one-hundredth of a second. It was a speedy race, with Wanyonyi's time of 1:41.19 coming dangerously close to the world record, just two-tenths of a second off the pace. In a display of the high caliber of competition, American Bryce Hoppel's national record time of 1:41.67 was only enough for fourth place.
Kenya continued its impressive showing on the track, with Faith Kipyegon securing her third consecutive Olympic gold in the women's 1500 meters. Kipyegon's performance was dominant, as she surged ahead of the pack to finish over a second ahead of her closest competitors, setting a new Olympic record of 3:51.29 in the process. With this victory, Kipyegon cemented her legacy as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time, becoming the first athlete to win three successive 1500m titles. Australia's Jessica Hull and Britain's Georgia Bell completed the podium, displaying remarkable endurance to overtake Ethiopia's Diribe Welteji in the final stretch.
In the men's 5000 meters, Jakob Ingebrigtsen claimed victory in a race that, in contrast to the others, lacked the same degree of drama. Ingebrigtsen, who had previously fallen short in the much-hyped 1500-meter race, finished comfortably ahead of Kenya's Ronald Kwemoi and Grant Fisher of the United States, who added a second bronze to his medal tally after his third-place finish in the 10,000 meters earlier in the Games. These Olympic Games once again showcased the very best in athletic talent, with records broken and new champions crowned, providing unforgettable moments for athletes and spectators alike.
Samba-Mayela's silver medal was a significant achievement, not just for herself but also for the host country, France. Her second-place finish on the last day of events at the Stade de France ensured that the host nation did not leave the stadium empty-handed. The French crowd had been enthusiastic throughout the nine nights of competition, cheering on athletes from a variety of nations, but they reserved their loudest cheers for their own. The previous biggest cheer had been for French swimmer Léon Marchand, who had won gold on the opening night, causing a brief interruption as officials asked for quiet while the excited crowd celebrated.
The women's 100m hurdle final was not the only race decided by the narrowest of margins. In the men's 800-meter event, Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Canada's Marco Arop crossed the finish line in a blur, with Wanyonyi taking gold by just one-hundredth of a second. It was a speedy race, with Wanyonyi's time of 1:41.19 coming dangerously close to the world record, just two-tenths of a second off the pace. In a display of the high caliber of competition, American Bryce Hoppel's national record time of 1:41.67 was only enough for fourth place.
Kenya continued its impressive showing on the track, with Faith Kipyegon securing her third consecutive Olympic gold in the women's 1500 meters. Kipyegon's performance was dominant, as she surged ahead of the pack to finish over a second ahead of her closest competitors, setting a new Olympic record of 3:51.29 in the process. With this victory, Kipyegon cemented her legacy as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time, becoming the first athlete to win three successive 1500m titles. Australia's Jessica Hull and Britain's Georgia Bell completed the podium, displaying remarkable endurance to overtake Ethiopia's Diribe Welteji in the final stretch.
In the men's 5000 meters, Jakob Ingebrigtsen claimed victory in a race that, in contrast to the others, lacked the same degree of drama. Ingebrigtsen, who had previously fallen short in the much-hyped 1500-meter race, finished comfortably ahead of Kenya's Ronald Kwemoi and Grant Fisher of the United States, who added a second bronze to his medal tally after his third-place finish in the 10,000 meters earlier in the Games. These Olympic Games once again showcased the very best in athletic talent, with records broken and new champions crowned, providing unforgettable moments for athletes and spectators alike.