2008 Olympic Track and Field - Day 9

After a pair of baton-dropping disappointments in the 4 x 100-meter relays, the U.S. struck double-gold in the 4 x 400-meter relays Saturday.

The women’s race was highly competitive as the U.S. and Russia battled to the tape before the

Americans won in 3:18.54 with the Russians second in 3:18.82. Jamaica earned the bronze medal in 3:20.40. The U.S. trailed during the first lap but the race changed when Mary Wineberg handed the baton to Allyson Felix. Felix, the 200-meter silver medalist, flashed into the lead quickly and maintained her margin. Monique Henderson led for most of the third leg before being passed by Russia’s Tatyana Firova. The final lap was a two-woman race between Anastasiya Kapachinskaya of Russia and American Sanya Richards, the 400-meter bronze medalist. The Russian led most of the way, with Richards gaining a bit of ground around the last turn. Richards then surged in the final 100 meters to cross the line first.

On the men’s side, the only question at the end was whether or not the dominant Americans would break any records. They did, winning in an Olympic-record 2:55.39. Bahamas finished second (2:58.03) with Russia third (a national record 2:58.06). Belgium entered the final lap in second but faded to fifth in a national record 2:59.37. The U.S. led off the relay with 400-meter gold medalist LaShawn Merritt, who gave the Americans a solid lead that they never lost. Angelo Taylor, the 400-meter hurdles gold medalist, and 400-meter bronze medalist David Neville maintained the U.S. margin. Jeremy Wariner, the 2004 gold medalist and 2008 silver medalist in the 400, ran his traditional anchor leg and completed the U.S. triumph.

In the women’s high jump final Blanka Vlasic’s 34-meet winning streak ended as Belgium’s Tia Hellebaut scored an upset victory over the Croatian. Hellebaut cleared a national-record 2.05 meters on her first attempt to gain the gold, while Vlasic, who was perfect through 2.03, needed two tries to clear 2.05. Vlasic, the reigning world outdoor and indoor champion, missed three times at 2.07 to settle for silver. Russia’s Anna Chicherova was third at 2.03, equaling her personal best. American Chaunte Howard was sixth in a season best 1.99. Hellebaut, a former heptathlete who entered the Olympics with a season best of 1.96, had misses at 1.99, 2.01 and 2.03 before clearing those heights. By clearing 2.05 on her first attempt, however, she took lead when Vlasic missed her first try at that height.

Ethiopia completed its sweep of the 5000- and 10,000-meter events as Kenenisa Bekele won the men’s 5000 meters Saturday. Bekele previously won the 10,000 meters while Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba won both events on the women’s side. The name of Bekele was prominent from start to finish Saturday, as Tariku Bekele led for much of the race’s first half before older brother Kenenisa took charge for most of the second half. Kenenisa raced from the front in the final laps and remained there to win in an Olympic-record time of 12:57.82. He’s the sixth man to win the 5000-10,000 Olympic double (with Finland’s Lasse Viren accomplishing the feat twice). Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge ran near the front all the way and earned the silver (13:02.80) with countryman Edwin Soi taking the bronze (season best 13:06.22). Bernard Lagat, the 2007 World Outdoor champion, ran with the leading half-dozen runners until the final three laps but dropped back to finish ninth (13:26.89), while fellow American Matthew Tegenkamp was 13th (13:33.13).

Kenya’s Wilfred Bungei took the early lead and never let go to claim the men’s 800-meter gold medal in a season best 1:44.65. Ismail Ahmed Ismail of Sudan closed the gap down the final straight but couldn’t overtake Bungei, taking second in 1:44.70 with 2007 World Outdoor champion Alfred Yego of Kenya rallying to finish third (1:44.82).

Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen boasted the two longest throws to repeat as the men’s javelin champion. Thorkildsen never trailed as he increased his distances from 84.72 meters in the first round to 85.91 in the second and 87.93 in the third. For good measure, Thorkildsen unleashed an Olympic record 90.57-meter throw in the fifth round. Finland’s Tero Pitkamaki, the 2007 World Outdoor champion, spent most of the day in second place until Latvia’s Ainars Kovals, who entered the final round in sixth position, posted an 86.64-meter throw on his final attempt to move into second. Pitkamaki’s last throw was his best, but only traveled 86.16 meters, so he settled for bronze.

Kenya’s Nancy Lagat passed Maryam Jamal of Bahrain early in the final lap and sprinted to victory in the women’s 1500 meters, winning with a personal best time of 4:00.23. Jamal faded to fifth. Ukraine took the silver and bronze medals with Iryna Lishchynska second (4:01.63) and Nataliya Tobias third (personal best 4:01.78). American Shannon Rowbury finished seventh (4:03.58).

Olympic track and field competition concludes with the men’s marathon, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday in Beijing (7:30 p.m. Saturday, Eastern Daylight Savings Time). The favorites, based on 2008 season-best times, include Martin Lel (2:05:15) and Samuel Wanjiru (2:05:25), both of Kenya, plus Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri (2:05:30) and American Ryan Hall (2:06:17). Also running are the 2007 World Outdoor Championship medalists, Kenya’s Luke Kibet (gold), Qatar’s Mubarak Shami (silver) and Switzerland’s Viktor Rothlin (bronze), 2004 Olympic gold medalist Stefano Baldini of Italy, plus Americans Brian Sell and Dathan Ritzenhein.

The U.S. is assured of leading the track and field medal standings, with 23 medals (seven gold, nine silver, seven bronze) entering the final event. Russia has 18 medals. Russia and Jamaica both own six track and field golds.