Rollins, Ali, Castlin Lead Team USA Sweep of 100m Hurdles- Day 6 Evening Recap

Aug 17, 2016

Rollins, Ali, Castlin Lead Team USA Sweep of 100m Hurdles

Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time in history, one country will stand on top of the Olympic podium during the women's 100m hurdle medal ceremony.

Led by Brianna Rollins, the American trio of Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin swept the event in tonight in Rio.

Rollins crossed the line for gold in 12.48, Ali earned silver in 12.59 and Castlin bronze in 12.61.

This is the first complete sweep of the women's 100m hurdles in Olympic history, and only the seventh time in any track and field event at the Olympics.

Prior to Rio, much of the focus surrounding this event revolved around Keni Harrison, who broke the American record at the Pre Classic (12.24), finished sixth in the Olympic trials final, then broke the World record (12.20) at the London Diamond League. The depth of the American women in this event left Harrison at home, but she congratulated the trio immediately after history was made.

Rollins was consistently second best in the world behind Harrison all season, making her the favorite heading into Rio. She showed her dominance right from the gun, blasting out of the blocks and finishing in 12.48.

Ali, who is a two-time World Indoor Champion over the 60m hurdles, shined in her Olympic debut. She finished runner-up in 12.59, but it was Castlin who had the race of her life. The 28-year-old finished third in 12.61, .02 over NCAA Champion Cindy Ofili of Great Britain. Immediately after the race, the American trio gazed at the big screen waiting to see if they really did just make history.

This picture says it all:

Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Gatlin Fails to Advance to 200m Final!

After running 20.13 to finish third in his semifinal, Justin Gatlin's individual gold medal hopes are over.

Gatlin, 34, is the reigning World silver medalist, U.S. Olympic trials champion and ranked #2 in the world heading into Rio. He finished runner-up to Usain Bolt in the 100m earlier this week.

Afterwards, Gatlin told NBC that his ankle started hurting him during his warm up. "Back in the warm up area, my ankle started stiffing up on me a little bit. I made the best of it, had a tight turn. I wish all the guys luck out there, we're getting ready for the 4x1." NBC's Lewis Johnson asked Gatlin if he thought the look that he gave [to the side] at the end of the race cost him a spot in the finals, to where Gatlin replied that he had already felt pain in his ankle coming down the homestretch.

Gatlin is the second U.S. sprinter banged up in Rio. Trayvon Bromell finished eighth in the 100m final and later took to Twitter to announce his upcoming surgery on his achilles tendon.

LaShawn Merritt ran 19.94 to easily win his semifinal, and Usain Bolt ran a season best of 19.78 (-0.3), ahead of Andre De Grasse, who broke his own Canadian National record in their semifinal.

Bolt told the media that he's never run an easier 19.78 and that he could go after his 19.19 World record, set at the world championships in Berlin in 2009.

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Usain Bolt and Andre De Grasse finish their 200m semifinals in 19.78 and 19.80, respectively. Photo: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

First time Olympian Ameer Webb of the U.S. finished sixth in the second semifinal in 20.43, ending his Olympic campaign.

The men's 200m final is set to take place Thursday, August 18 at 8:30PM CST. It will mark the first time Bolt and Merritt have raced a 200m since 2009. Bolt is currently 3-0 against Merritt, although Merritt's primary event is the 400m and he set his 19.74 personal best this season.

The Jamaican will be going after his third-straight Olympic 200m title.

The final will feature one American and one Jamaican, a start contrast to the 2012 Olympic final where Bolt, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir swept the medals. Prior to Rio, Merritt, Gatlin and Webb were ranked #1, #2 and #3 in the world.

Automatic Qualifiers:
19.78 Usain Bolt (JAM)
19.80 Andre De Grasse (CAN)
19.94 LaShawn Merritt (USA)
20.01 Christophe Lemaitre (FRA)
20.07 Alonso Edward (PAN)
20.10 Churandy Martina (NED)

Time Qualifiers:
20.08 Adam Gemili (GBR)
20.09 Ramil Guliyev (TUR)

Elaine Thompson Wins 200m, Sweeps Women's Sprints in Rio

Elaine Thompson won her second gold medal tonight in Rio by running 21.78 in the women's 200m.

She won the 100m earlier this week, making her the first woman to complete the 100m, 200m double since Florence Griffith-Joyner at the 1988 Games.

Dafne Schippers earned silver (21.88) and American Tori Bowie collected her second medal of the week with bronze (22.15).

Thompson roared around the curve in first, with 2015 World Champion Schippers closing hard. Thompson, who earned silver last summer in Beijing, avenged Schippers by one-tenth of a second to win her second gold medal of the week. Thompson is the seventh woman in history to complete the sprint sweep at the Olympic Games.

Jamaica has now won three of the last four Olympic 200m titles, with Veronica Campbell-Brown claiming gold in 2004 and 2008.

The silver medal is likely bittersweet for Schippers, who was a favorite to defend her global 200m title and pick up her first Olympic medal in this event. Armed with a 10.81 100m personal best, the Dutch native only finished fifth in the Olympic final.

Bowie earned bronze with a late charge over the final 50m. Usually a quick and efficient starter, Bowie was far behind Thompson and Schippers around the curve. She closed over Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast to collect her second Olympic medal after earning silver in the 100m earlier this week. In her first Olympic appearance, Bowie will walk away the most successful U.S. female sprinter.

Tianna Bartoletta, Brittney Reese Take Home Gold, Silver in Long Jump

Tianna Bartoletta and Brittney Reese took a page from U.S. men in the triple jump.

Bartoletta jumped a new personal best of 7.17m to earn gold in the women's long jump, while Reese jumped 7.15m for silver.

Christian Taylor and Will Claye swept the triple jump yesterday morning in Rio.

Both women recorded fouls on their first jumps, but Bartoletta got hot during her next two attempts with season best marks of 6.94m and 6.95m, with the latter moving her into first over Ivana Spanovic of Serbia. Spanovic jumped 6.95m but recorded two fouls immediately after, putting Bartoletta in first with one less foul.

Bartoletta's fifth jump of 7.17m was a new personal best and won her her first individual Olympic gold medal. She was a member of the 4x100m relay that won gold in 2012, and owns two world championship titles in the long jump from 2015 and 2005.

Reese was the heavy favorite heading into Rio with her 7.31m victory at the U.S. trials, but had a rough start tonight and recorded three fouls in her first four jumps. Her second leap of 6.79m put her in fifth-place for most of the competition, until she launched 7.09m and 7.15m on her final two jumps to claim silver.

This is the first U.S. 1-2 sweep of the long jump at the Olympic Games. Reese won gold in 2012, with Janay DeLoach taking home the bronze.