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Olympics: Day 9 round-up

Michael Da SilvaAugust 15, 2016

Day 9 of the Rio Olympics saw the showpiece event of the Games - the men's 100-meter dash - won by Usain Bolt for a third time. It was also a great day for Britain and a world record on the track.

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Rio Momente 14 08 Leichtathletik 100 m Männer Finale Usain Bolt
Image: Reuters/P. Noble

Bolt becomes immortal

Jamaica's Usain Bolt won an unprecedented third gold medal in the 100 meters with a stunning run in a time of 9.81 seconds, beating US rival Justin Gatlin into second.

Bolt clocked 9.81 seconds in the blue-riband race of the Games, coming from behind like at the 2015 worlds, showing no signs of a recent hamstring injury. He flew past American rival Justin Gatlin who had to settle for silver again in 9.89 seconds. Canada's Andre de Grasse took bronze in 9.91.

Bolt has not been beaten on the track in a major race since coming second behind American Tyson Gay in the 200 meters at the 2007 world championships.

Murray leads British gold rush

Andy Murray became the first tennis player to successfully defend an Olympic gold medal with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Juan Martin del Potro, earning Britain's fifth gold medal on a stellar day for the nation in Rio.

The world number two won gold in London four years ago and swept aside his opponent in a dramatic final in Rio, stretching the 29-year-old's current winning streak to a career-high 18.

Rio Momente 14 08 Tennis Andy Murray
Andy Murray becomes the first tennis player to successfully defend an Olympic gold medal.Image: Reuters/T. Melville

Earlier in the day, Justin Rose became the first golf gold medallist since 1904 with a stunning round of 67.

Rose, who hit a hole-in-one on his first day, carded a final round four-under-par to beat Sweden's Henrik Stenson by two shots in a competition that went all the way to the final putts.

"Honestly this is a dream come true," said Rose. "I've been thinking about Rio for a long, long time. To come out of it with a medal is incredible, and to come out of it with gold, unbelievable.

"I was in a great fight with Henrik, a good friend of mine, and it took world class golf to win today so I am very proud of the achievement and I've just got to let it all soak in now."

Gymnast Max Whitlock won two golds in two hours on Sunday, first in the men's floor exercise and later on the pommel horse, pipping compatriot Louis Smith into the silver medal position.

Cyclist Jason Kenny also won gold in an all-British individual sprint final. Kenny beat his room mate Callum Skinner 2-0.

Van Niekerk breaks Michael Johnson's 400m world record

South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk broke Michael Johnson's 17-year-old 400m world record to claim a stunning victory and the gold medal - all from the outside lane.

The 24-year-old stopped the clock at 43.03 seconds, 0.15 seconds quicker than the time Johnson recorded in Seville in 1999.

London 2012 champion Kirani James won the silver medal, with American LaShawn Merritt in bronze.

Biles claims gold #3

US gymnastics starlet Simone Biles remained on course for a record haul of five women's titles in Rio on Sunday.

Biles became the first American woman to win the Olympic vault title and the first to win three gold at the same Games after her team and all-around successes.

Olympiade Rio Geräteturnen
Biles becomes the first American woman to win the Olympic vault title and the first to win three gold at the same Games.Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Pierse

The 19-year-old can claim two more on the beam and floor, which would see her become the most titled woman in Olympic gymnastics history.

Triple jump crown goes to Ibarguen

Colombia's Caterine Ibarguen won the gold medal in the women's triple jump.

Ibarguen, the reigning world champion, easily out-leaped her rivals with a longest jump 15.17m.

Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela won silver while defending Olympic champion Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan won bronze.

China claim weightlifting gold

China ensured top place in the weightlifting medals table for the fifth successive Olympic Games when Meng Suping won her nation's fifth gold on Sunday.

Sarah Robles, in third place in the +75kg, won the first weightlifting medal for the United States since 2000.

France dominate fencing final

France dominated Italy in the men's team epee final on Sunday to take their first fencing gold medal in Rio and cap a rebound from their disappointment on the pistes four years ago.

France's win over their longstanding rival, achieved without dropping a bout in the final, gave them a record ninth team gold in men's epee.