Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone led a triumphant night for U.S. track and field by breaking her own world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. The other gold medals at the Paris Games went to the Americans in the women’s long jump and the men’s 110-meter hurdles.
The sheer power of the 25-year-old McLaughlin-Levrone at the Stade de France made it look as if she had run the race at a gallop, but the American star was in no danger of being overtaken and improved her best time to 50.37 seconds.
With that performance, McLaughlin-Levrone became the first American to defend Olympic gold in an individual track event since Michael Johnson won back-to-back gold in the 400 meters in 1996 and 2000. Her Dutch rival Femke Bol was left in third place, while Anna Cockrell, also of the US, took silver in 51.87.
American athletes Tara Davis-Woodhall also won gold in the long jump and three-time world champion and Tokyo silver medalist Grant Holloway effortlessly won the men’s 110-meter hurdles.
The only bitter moment for the U.S. team came when Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo somehow found time in the fastest run of his life, beating himself on the chest in the final meters to rob Noah Lyles of gold in the men’s 200 meters final.
Immediately after the race, it emerged that Lyles, who had hoped to become the first man since Usain Bolt to win both the 100m and 200m titles, had been diagnosed with Covid. The American sprinter left the track in a makeshift wheelchair.
That did not detract from Tebogo’s achievement, which came three months after his mother’s death. He had her date of birth embroidered on his running shoes.
The race was won in a personal and African record of 19.46 seconds, making Tebogo the fifth fastest man in the 200 metres.
He said: “I actually carry her through every step I take on the pitch. Taking her with me gives me a lot of motivation. She looks up there and she’s really, really happy. I didn’t want to put the date of her death on it because then I get emotional.”
Kenny Bednarek took silver with 19.62 and Lyles, who never looked like a contender after a slow reaction time at the start, took bronze with 19.70 – almost four-tenths of a second slower than his best time.
Lyles jumped and screamed to cheer the crowd as he walked to the starting line. But the announcement by US Track and Field officials immediately after the race that he had competed while ill casts doubt on his participation in the team relay.
Lyle said: “It was definitely an effect. But I mean, to be honest, I’m more proud of myself than anything that I came out and got the bronze medal with Covid.”
There were no medals to be won for Great Britain in athletics on Thursday, but Katarina Johnson-Thompson leads the heptathlon after four events in the seven-event discipline.
She ran a personal best of 14.44 meters in the shot put, jumped 1.92 meters in the high jump (her highest jump in five years) and ran 23.44 seconds in the 200 meters and a season record of 13.40 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles.
Johnson-Thompson said: “I don’t think the 200 looked fun. It’s all back-to-back, the time frame between the shot put and the 200 is quite short to really prepare for it. I can’t complain about the day as a whole.”
Ellie Aldridge saved the day in sailing by becoming the first Olympic gold medalist in kitesurfing. The discipline, which sees competitors fly huge kites at speeds of up to 40 knots above the water, had never been seen at a Games before.
The team’s presence was very welcome after a disappointing regatta for Team GB, which saw the team secure just one bronze medal in one of the traditionally toughest medal sports.
The 27-year-old from Dorset said: “It’s been incredible, we’ve not had the easiest of circumstances and it’s been tough but it’s been really cool and I hope everyone watching on TV feels the same. It’s been incredible.”
Light winds made for a frustrating two weeks for all sailors, with races postponed and cancelled and a mistake causing heartache for British medal hopes John Gimson and Anna Burnet.
The couple, who are due to marry next month, were disqualified for being early at the start of the double points medal race in the mixed multihull boats.
They looked to be in a good position to win silver or bronze in the final race, but were disappointed to finish fourth.
Gimson, 41, from Leicester, said: “We were over the start line. We didn’t realise we were, or think we were. So we carried on with the race and then got taken out of the first stage.
“We heard the cry but we thought we were going all out. We try not to judge ourselves on results. We judge ourselves on whether we feel we’ve given it our all and how well we’ve done the details for the week. I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve sailed this week. It’s been a really tough week in sailing terms and we’ve worked hard every day and put ourselves in the medal fight.”
Two-time Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones described herself as “devastated” after a shock first-round exit and was forced to deny using performance-enhancing drugs after missing a test.
Jones was suspended this year until the British Anti-Doping Agency (Ukad) ruled that she had committed a doping violation without fault on confidential medical grounds.
“I can confirm that I have never used drugs. I have done hundreds of tests and since then [the missed test] “I’ve done 13 more tests, more than ever,” the 31-year-old said. “I’m clearly not on drugs, I just lost.”
She added: “I’m devastated. I came here to win, I knew I could win but on the day I didn’t have it and that made the difference. It’s just tough and I came today and didn’t fight free and let my legs go. I’m devastated that I didn’t show what I could do and what me and my coach worked so hard for.”