Rio Recap: Neymar delivers for Brazil, Farah does double
– Brazil finally won gold in Olympic football as Neymarled them past Germany in the final, converting the decisive penalty in a 5-4 shoot-out success after the 1-1 draw.
– The final night of track and field action saw Mo Farahcomplete his double-double, taking out the men’s 5000 metres.
– Caster Semenya claimed her first Olympic gold medal, cruising to a convincing win in the women’s 800m.
– The United States’ women’s basketball team made it six straight gold medals, beating Spain 101-72.
– Inbee Park was dominant in women’s golf, finishing five shots clear of Lydia Ko – who ended up with silver.
– Serbia secured their first men’s water polo gold as the European and world champions overcame Croatia 11-7.
QUOTES OF THE DAY
“I have fulfilled my dream and to have fulfilled it in my home country makes me very proud,” – Neymarthrilled to deliver Brazil their first Olympic football gold.
Congrats to Brasil football team on winning gold #Rio2016 @neymarjr pic.twitter.com/gEeGej70st
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) August 20, 2016
“Tight now we played against the dream team. This is the Magic [Johnson], [Michael] Jordan dream team, but with women,” – Spain coach Lucas Mondelo said of USA’s women’s basketball side.
“Every time you beat someone you’re crushing their dreams, so it’s a tough old process,” – British two-time boxing gold medallist Nicola Adams after her success.
“I called my mother before, when I won the synchronised event, but she said, ‘It’s so late, why are you calling? I was already asleep’,” – Chen Aisen said, after he won his second diving gold of Rio 2016.
“Maybe it’s the food, water, the land, the girls we have in our country?” – Serbia water polo star Filip Filipovic tries to work out why his nation have dominated the sport in recent years.
UNSUNG HERO
Veteran Bernard Lagat briefly thought he won a bronze medal in the men’s 5000m.
The American looked set for a podium finish after disqualifications, only for one of those to stand.
It meant the 41-year-old, bronze medallist in Sydney and second in Athens, ended up fifth – a result he gracefully accepted.
Lagat said: “If you finished fourth and somebody stepped on the line once and got no advantage and you finish fourth, do you really want to say ‘gosh, I won the bronze medal because a guy cheated’.”
MEDAL WATCH
Great Britain surpassed their medal tally from London as they improved to 66 overall (27 gold, 22 silver and 17 bronze). USA are still well clear at the top with 116 (43, 37 and 36).
66 that’s one more than #London2012#Rio2016 #HistoryMadehttps://t.co/aAYfCp6x1g
— Team GB (@TeamGB) August 21, 2016
COMING UP – Team USA eye gold
USA will be out to win the men’s basketball gold when they face Serbia in the final on Sunday, the last day of the Games that also includes the closing ceremony. Denmark and France meet for men’s handball gold.
AND FINALLY…
Spain’s Ruth Beitia stunningly won gold in the women’s high jump at the age of 37.
She became the oldest medallist in women’s high jump in Games history and Spain’s first female Olympic athletics champion.
“At 37 years of age, this is the climax of my career,” she said.
“As I said before, the completion of a dream.”
Her jump of 1.97m may have been lower than what Nafissatou Thiam and Katarina Johnson-Thompson produced in the heptathlon, but it was enough for the gold.
