McLeod storms to 110m hurdles gold

Brazil women’s football team ousted

AFP, RIO DE JANEIRO: Omar McLeod stormed to 110m hurdles victory on Tuesday as Marta's Brazil crashed out of the women's football and France's Renaud Lavillenie wept as he was booed on the Rio Olympics podium.
Usain Bolt swept into the 200m semi-finals and Simone Biles left with a record-equalling four gymnastics golds, while Kenya's Faith Kipyegon stunned world champion Genzebe Dibaba in the women's 1500m.
McLeod produced a powerful but smooth run to finish well ahead of Spain's Orlando Ortega and Dimitri Bascou of France, in a time of 13.05sec.
"I can't get my mind around this. Is this real? To God be the glory," said McLeod, Jamaica's first champion in the event.
Jamaican star Omar McLeod said the "contagious" Olympic medal-winning performances of Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce inspired him to his 110m hurdles triumph on Tuesday.
It was a silky hurdling performance from the latest product of Jamaica's incredible sprint  factory.
The win capped a tumultuous season for McLeod, who last month was involved in a spectacular fall at a Diamond League meeting which left him hobbling over the line.
McLeod bounced back brilliantly in Rio, inspired by the example of triple Olympic 100m champion Bolt and double Olympic 100m champion Fraser-Pryce.
“You see them, they go out and have fun and represent themselves and their country and they win, and you just want to go out and do the same thing,” McLeod said.
“It's honestly contagious. You just want to feel how it feels.”
McLeod said he was struggling to come to terms with his victory, which saw Spain's Orlando Ortega take silver and Dimitri Bascou of France bronze.
“I'm elated. The feeling is honestly indescribable. I don't know what's going through my mind right now,” he said.
“I need to go back and recite it a couple of times and say 'You're an Olympic champion.'"
After his fall in Monaco last month, McLeod said he had taken a conscious decision to rein in his natural speed to concentrate more on navigating the hurdles cleanly.
"You fall and you wonder what's going on," McLeod said.
"You just need to learn how to regroup. It was a learning experience. I learned to be patient and I honestly played it safe, my speed. All I needed to do was just hurdle."
McLeod, who models his technique on 1996 Olympic champion Allen Johnson, said that once he manages to unleash the full force of his speed he would be able to target Aries Merrit's world record of 12.80sec.
"I'm young, I'm just trying to develop," he said. "It (the record) will come one day I hope."
Kenya's Kipyegon gunned to 1500m victory with an electric last-lap sprint which left world record-holder Dibaba trailing home in second. Afterwards she lay on the ground, thumping the track in delight.
There were emotive scenes as Lavillenie, beaten to pole vault gold by Brazil's Thiago Braz da Silva, was booed mercilessly by the crowd as he mounted the podium.
Lavillenie had tears streaming down his face during the Brazilian anthem and he was later comforted by IOC president Thomas Bach, world athletics chief Sebastian Coe and pole vault legend Sergey Bubka. "Shocking behaviour for the crowd to boo Renaud Lavillenie on the medal podium. Unacceptable at the Olympics," Bach said in a tweet.
Marta, five-time world player of the year, also exited in tears when Brazil were edged 4-3 on penalties by Sweden at Rio's Maracana Stadium.
But there was joy for the hosts when Robson Conceicao, who once sold vegetables and popsicles on the streets, won a thrilling lightweight boxing final against France's Sofiane Oumiha.
Bolt shrugged off the inconvenience of an early start to gallop untroubled into the 200m semi-finals as he won his heat in a time of 20.28sec.
The Jamaican legend is on track to win a third straight 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles -- the so-called 'triple triple' after beating rival Justin Gatlin to win the short sprint on Sunday.
"It's a morning session and I'm not really a morning person. I just came out to qualify and that's what I did," said Bolt.

 

McLeod storms to 110m hurdles gold

Brazil womens football team ousted

AFP, RIO DE JANEIRO: Omar McLeod stormed to 110m hurdles victory on Tuesday as Martas Brazil crashed out of the womens football and Frances Renaud Lavillenie wept as he was booed on the Rio Olympics podium. Usain Bolt swept into the 200m semi-finals and Simone Biles left with a record-equalling four gymnastics golds, while Kenyas Faith Kipyegon stunned world champion Genzebe Dibaba in the womens 1500m. McLeod produced a powerful but smooth run to finish well ahead of Spains Orlando Ortega and Dimitri Bascou of France, in a time of 13.05sec. I cant get my mind around this. Is this real? To God be the glory, said McLeod, Jamaicas first champion in the event. Jamaican star Omar McLeod said the contagious Olympic medal-winning performances of Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce inspired him to his 110m hurdles triumph on Tuesday. It was a silky hurdling performance from the latest product of Jamaicas incredible sprint factory. The win capped a tumultuous season for McLeod, who last month was involved in a spectacular fall at a Diamond League meeting which left him hobbling over the line. McLeod bounced back brilliantly in Rio, inspired by the example of triple Olympic 100m champion Bolt and double Olympic 100m champion Fraser-Pryce. You see them, they go out and have fun and represent themselves and their country and they win, and you just want to go out and do the same thing, McLeod said. Its honestly contagious. You just want to feel how it feels. McLeod said he was struggling to come to terms with his victory, which saw Spains Orlando Ortega take silver and Dimitri Bascou of France bronze. Im elated. The feeling is honestly indescribable. I dont know whats going through my mind right now, he said. I need to go back and recite it a couple of times and say Youre an Olympic champion. After his fall in Monaco last month, McLeod said he had taken a conscious decision to rein in his natural speed to concentrate more on navigating the hurdles cleanly. You fall and you wonder whats going on, McLeod said. You just need to learn how to regroup. It was a learning experience. I learned to be patient and I honestly played it safe, my speed. All I needed to do was just hurdle. McLeod, who models his technique on 1996 Olympic champion Allen Johnson, said that once he manages to unleash the full force of his speed he would be able to target Aries Merrits world record of 12.80sec. Im young, Im just trying to develop, he said. It (the record) will come one day I hope. Kenyas Kipyegon gunned to 1500m victory with an electric last-lap sprint which left world record-holder Dibaba trailing home in second. Afterwards she lay on the ground, thumping the track in delight. There were emotive scenes as Lavillenie, beaten to pole vault gold by Brazils Thiago Braz da Silva, was booed mercilessly by the crowd as he mounted the podium. Lavillenie had tears streaming down his face during the Brazilian anthem and he was later comforted by IOC president Thomas Bach, world athletics chief Sebastian Coe and pole vault legend Sergey Bubka. Shocking behaviour for the crowd to boo Renaud Lavillenie on the medal podium. Unacceptable at the Olympics, Bach said in a tweet. Marta, five-time world player of the year, also exited in tears when Brazil were edged 4-3 on penalties by Sweden at Rios Maracana Stadium. But there was joy for the hosts when Robson Conceicao, who once sold vegetables and popsicles on the streets, won a thrilling lightweight boxing final against Frances Sofiane Oumiha. Bolt shrugged off the inconvenience of an early start to gallop untroubled into the 200m semi-finals as he won his heat in a time of 20.28sec. The Jamaican legend is on track to win a third straight 100m, 200m and 4x100m titles -- the so-called triple triple after beating rival Justin Gatlin to win the short sprint on Sunday. Its a morning session and Im not really a morning person. I just came out to qualify and thats what I did, said Bolt.