More Sports

McLeod hurdles to gold

Omar McLeod, Rio 2016 Olympic
Jamaica's Omar McLeod (C) leads the pack in the men's 110m hurdles final during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Jamaican sprint hurdler Omar McLeod swept to a brilliant gold medal at the Olympics on Tuesday as French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie was booed once again to heap more embarrassment on Rio 2016 organisers.

McLeod, 22, confirmed his arrival as the latest talent from Jamaica's sprint factory to win the 110m hurdles in 13.05sec.

The win made McLeod the first man from the Caribbean sprinting powerhouse to win a gold medal in the event.

Cuba-born Orlando Ortega of Spain took silver in 13.17sec while France's Dimitri Bascou won bronze in 13.24 as the event's traditional powerhouses the United States were blanked from the podium.

Afterwards McLeod said he had been inspired by the example of Jamaican stars such as Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann 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.

"The feeling is honestly indescribable. I don't know what's going through my mind right now."

But McLeod's victory was witnessed by yet another mostly empty 60,000-seat Olympic Stadium, as fans once again stayed away in droves from the showpiece sport of the Games. The stadium was barely a third full at its peak.

In another embarrassment for Rio organisers, French pole vaulter Lavillenie was subjected to loud booing as he was presented with his silver medal following Monday's dramatic final to the event.

Lavillenie had reacted angrily after being booed repeatedly as he prepared to jump in the final, criticising the conduct of Brazilian fans. The event was eventually won by Brazil's Thiago Braz da Silva in a massive upset.

Rio organisers on Tuesday condemned the crowd's behaviour, appealing for fans to show respect to athletes regardless of whether or not they were competing against Brazilian medal contenders.

"As citizens of Brazil and as sports fans we don't think booing is the right attitude, even when you are in a one-to-one competition and a young Brazilian has the chance to beat the world champion," Rio 2016 chief spokesman Mario Andrada said.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon produced a startling last-lap sprint to outpace overwhelming favourite Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia to 1500m gold.

Kipyegon clocked 4min 08.92sec after her burst over the last 250 metres, world record-holder Dibaba taking silver in 4:10.27.

American Jennifer Simpson took bronze in 4:10.53.

In the triple jump, Taylor set a season's best 17.86 metres with his first leap, good enough to beat compatriot Will Claye in a repeat of their one-two finish in London four years ago.

The women's discus went the way of Perkovic, her best of 69.21m easily out-distancing France's Melina Robert Michon (66.73m) and world champion Denia Caballero of Cuba (65.34).

In the women's long jump, the only Russian track and field athlete in the Olympics, Darya Klishina, booked her place in Wednesday's final.

Comments

McLeod hurdles to gold

Omar McLeod, Rio 2016 Olympic
Jamaica's Omar McLeod (C) leads the pack in the men's 110m hurdles final during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Jamaican sprint hurdler Omar McLeod swept to a brilliant gold medal at the Olympics on Tuesday as French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie was booed once again to heap more embarrassment on Rio 2016 organisers.

McLeod, 22, confirmed his arrival as the latest talent from Jamaica's sprint factory to win the 110m hurdles in 13.05sec.

The win made McLeod the first man from the Caribbean sprinting powerhouse to win a gold medal in the event.

Cuba-born Orlando Ortega of Spain took silver in 13.17sec while France's Dimitri Bascou won bronze in 13.24 as the event's traditional powerhouses the United States were blanked from the podium.

Afterwards McLeod said he had been inspired by the example of Jamaican stars such as Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann 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.

"The feeling is honestly indescribable. I don't know what's going through my mind right now."

But McLeod's victory was witnessed by yet another mostly empty 60,000-seat Olympic Stadium, as fans once again stayed away in droves from the showpiece sport of the Games. The stadium was barely a third full at its peak.

In another embarrassment for Rio organisers, French pole vaulter Lavillenie was subjected to loud booing as he was presented with his silver medal following Monday's dramatic final to the event.

Lavillenie had reacted angrily after being booed repeatedly as he prepared to jump in the final, criticising the conduct of Brazilian fans. The event was eventually won by Brazil's Thiago Braz da Silva in a massive upset.

Rio organisers on Tuesday condemned the crowd's behaviour, appealing for fans to show respect to athletes regardless of whether or not they were competing against Brazilian medal contenders.

"As citizens of Brazil and as sports fans we don't think booing is the right attitude, even when you are in a one-to-one competition and a young Brazilian has the chance to beat the world champion," Rio 2016 chief spokesman Mario Andrada said.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon produced a startling last-lap sprint to outpace overwhelming favourite Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia to 1500m gold.

Kipyegon clocked 4min 08.92sec after her burst over the last 250 metres, world record-holder Dibaba taking silver in 4:10.27.

American Jennifer Simpson took bronze in 4:10.53.

In the triple jump, Taylor set a season's best 17.86 metres with his first leap, good enough to beat compatriot Will Claye in a repeat of their one-two finish in London four years ago.

The women's discus went the way of Perkovic, her best of 69.21m easily out-distancing France's Melina Robert Michon (66.73m) and world champion Denia Caballero of Cuba (65.34).

In the women's long jump, the only Russian track and field athlete in the Olympics, Darya Klishina, booked her place in Wednesday's final.

Comments

রণধীর জয়সওয়াল

হাসিনাকে ফেরত চেয়ে ঢাকার পাঠানো কূটনৈতিক নোট পেয়েছে দিল্লি

তবে এ বিষয়ে ভারত সরকারের পক্ষ থেকে তাৎক্ষণিক কোনো প্রতিক্রিয়া জানানো হয়নি।

১ ঘণ্টা আগে