RIO 2016

Track and field: The best moments from Rio Olympics

Paul Myerberg
USA TODAY Sports

RIO DE JANEIRO — There might never be another track star bigger than Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, who cemented his legacy at these Rio Games by winning gold medals in the 100, 200 and 4x100-meter relay.

Usain Bolt says goodbye to the Olympics after racking up his ninth gold medal.

“Somebody said I can become immortal,” he said after winning gold in the 100. After Jamaica’s gold in the relay, Bolt said, “I am now the greatest.”

For the last time, Bolt dominated the Olympic Games.

There was more here than just the 29-year-old Jamaican, however. The Games featured another dominant run through the competition by the USA, which topped the table with 32 medals — 13 gold, 10 silver and nine bronze.

Stars were made. Others, such as the USA’s Allyson Felix, carved out their own place in the sport’s history.

Certain moments, images, achievements and themes will come from these Summer Games. As events come to a close, it’s time to look back at competition — beginning, of course, with Bolt.

Usain Bolt bolt claims ninth career gold medal as Jamaica wins 4x100 relay

Bolt leaves on top

He now owns nine medals, with three in each of the past three Games spread across those three disciplines. But what has long made Bolt a legend was again on display here: He made everything look easy.

He smiled crossing the finish line, mugging for cameras along the inside of the track, and seemed effortless while his rivals strained for silver medals. There are athletes who exude magnetism after victory; Bolt was irresistible while in competition.

As for his boast — “I am now the greatest” — there is no doubt. For the last time in the Summer Games, Bolt illustrated all that has made him the most memorable figure in the sport’s history.

With youth, veterans and surprises, USA dominates medals in track and field

USA dominates (again)

It was done largely without fanfare, but the USA blew past the competition on the medal table. What’s the best way to prove the USA’s dominance? Consider that the country in second place, Kenya, won 13 medals; the USA won 13 gold medals alone.

It wasn’t a perfect week-plus, however. It’s only fair to call the inability to again capture a medal in the men’s 4x100 a disappointment, particularly after the team captured bronze before being disqualified for an exchange violation.

And sprints in general were slightly underwhelming with the exception of Tori Bowie, who medaled in the women’s 100 and 200. On the men’s side, the USA could tout only Justin Gatlin’s silver in the 100 — and Gatlin then failed to advance through the semifinals in the 200.

But as a team, there was no sniffing the USA. Not that this should come as a surprise: The haul now gives the country 83 medals in the past three Summer Games.

Ashton Eaton repeats as decathlon gold medalist

Eaton becomes a legend

He wouldn’t touch on the topic after taking his second gold medal in the decathlon, so history will speak on Ashton Eaton’s behalf: He is one of just three decathletes to win two golds in the discipline.

And if nothing else, Eaton is disciplined — and a perfectionist. Only Eaton could look back at his second gold and find fault in his throws and his pole vault. Keep in mind that despite his own misgivings, Eaton still tied the Olympic record in the event with 8,893 points.

“It’s historic,” said his coach, Harry Marra. “I wish the rest of the world understood that.”

Young stars burst onto the scene

The Rio Games marked a changing of the guard, as the departing generation of track athletes passed the baton to a number of young stars.

Included in this list: Wayde van Niekerk, 24, the South African sprinter who set the world record in the 400 (43.03 seconds); Ryan Crouser, 23, the American shot putter who set an Olympic record (22.52 meters); Canada’s Andre de Grasse, 21, who took home three medals; and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson, 24, who won gold in the women’s 100 and 200.

This group, along with others — such as Clayton Murphy, a 21-year-old who won bronze in the 800 — will step to the forefront as the world’s best at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Allyson Felix keeps climbing in record books

Considering Felix’s place in history

The USA women’s 4x100 relay's hopes of repeating its gold from the 2012 London Games seemed dashed after a botched handoff between Allyson Felix and English Gardner. Though a protest eventually pushed the team into the final — they would win gold — it was a potentially devastating moment.

It seemed almost unfair that Felix would be involved. Despite her unmatched medal count, her career hasn’t been perfect; just days before the relay, Felix lost out on a gold in the 400 after Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller dove through the finish line to claim gold.

But Felix’s place in history is secure. Her three medals in Rio give her nine for her career, surpassing Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s career record for a female American track athlete, and tie her with Merlene Ottey for the most ever by a female Olympian.

The men's 400 world record moves rarely, but it does move dramatically

The records

A number of world and Olympic records fell here in Rio.

Van Niekerk and Crouser. Eaton tied the Olympic record in the decathlon. Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto (8:03.28) set the Olympic record in the men’s steeplechase.

Brazil’s Thiago Braz da Silva set an Olympic record in the pole vault (6.03 meters), delighting a partisan crowd that stayed into the early morning to see the Brazilian fend off France’s Renaud Lavillenie.

Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk set the world record in the hammer toss (82.29 meters), which came as no surprise. Włodarczyk is universally considered to be the greatest competitor in the history of her event.

Another two records were set by female long-distance runners: Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot set the Olympic mark (14:26.17) in the 5,000, and Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana set a world record (29:17.45) in the 10,000.

Ayana also had the competition’s best quote. A Swedish runner, Sarah Lahti, entered the mixed zone after the 10,000 and raised questions about Ayana and performance-enhancing drugs. Asked to comment, Ayana replied, “My doping is Jesus.”

TRACK AND FIELD AT THE RIO OLYMPICS