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U-S-A 1-2-3: American Women Sweep 100-Meter Hurdles

Bartoletta beats Reese for long jump gold; Thompson wins 200m

The United States team of Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin swept the medals in the 100 meter hurdles on Wednesday night. 

Rollins won in 12.48 seconds, Ali got silver in 12.59 and Castlin (12.61) out-leaned Britain's Cindy Ofili by two hundredths of a second. 

A night after American men failed to medal in the 110-meter hurdles for the first time in Olympic history, women got the job done. 

Earlier Wednesday, Elaine Thompson completed an Olympic sprint double by edging out Dafne Schippers in the 200 meters on Wednesday night. 

Thompson, who won the 100 on Saturday night, put on one last burst of speed when Schippers drew almost even in the final 50 meters, and the Dutch woman tumbled over the finish, a tenth of a second behind Thompson's 21.78. American Tori Bowie (22.15) won bronze.  

The sprint finish came shortly after American long jumper Tianna Bartoletta beat defending champion Brittney Reese for the gold medal with a leap of 7.17 meters. Reese's 7.15 was enough for silver ahead of Serbia's Ivana Spanovic (7.08).

Defending champion Ashton Eaton led in the decathlon after five events, with 4,621 points. Germany's Kai Kazmirek (4,500) was second and Canada's Damian Warner (4,489) was third.

Eaton has not lost a decathlon in four years.

Wednesday afternoon, Evan Jager earned the silver medal for the United States, running strongly and leading until the bell, to finish one second behind and split up the Kenyan runners.

Conseslus Kipruto has continued Kenya's streak of Olympic titles in the men's steeplechase, winning the gold medal in a games record of 8 minutes, 03.28 seconds. The Kenyans have won the event at every Olympics since 1984.

Two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi took the bronze in 8:08.47.

Usain Bolt qualified easily for the men’s 200-meter final on Thursday night, along with Canada’s Andre De Grasse. As the two sprinted to the finish of their semifinal, De Grasse stared at Bolt cheekily, until he caught the two-time Olympic champion’s attention.

Bolt broke into a smile and playfully chided De Grasse, a day after a photo of Bolt looking back at the field in his 100-meter semifinal became instantly popular online.

De Grasse finished third in that final, but stamped himself as an up-and-comer ready to challenge Bolt’s eight-year sprinting supremacy.

Bolt was asked if he thinks De Grasse or anyone else — American rival Justin Gatlin failed to qualify for the 200 final — can catch him. American LaShawn Merritt will be in the final, though.

"No,” Bolt said. “I'm ready, I'm feeling good.”

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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