Felix adds 11th medal
American anchors 1,600 relay to break tie with Lewis for medals record
Allyson Felix knows the way to the Olympic medals stand better than any runner alive.
She made her record-setting 11th trip there Saturday, after starring as the headliner on a 4x400 relay win that featured a who’s-who of American running.
With the gold medal dangling from her neck and the “StarSpangled Banner” playing in the near-empty stadium, “I took a moment just to close my eyes and take it in one last time,“Felix said.
After the final race of the final Games of the 35-year-old sprinter’s career, Felix leaves the stage having won the most medals of any track athlete in U.S. history. It’s some list. She passed Carl Lewis, and now she only trails one person in the Olympic record book — Paavo Nurmi — the Finnish distance runner who won 12 between 1920 and 1928.
Felix, who a day earlier took bronze in the 400 meters to become the most-decorated woman in Olympic track, has no plans to go any further. In her mind, as a sprinter at least, she also has nothing left to prove.
“I feel at peace,” she said. “I went out, had all the confidence in these amazing women. I wanted to take it all in one last time around, and it was special.”
More track and field: Sifan Hassan won the 10,000 meters for her second gold and third medal of the Tokyo Olympics after entering three long-distance races. It completed an astonishing 5,000 and 10,000 double for the Ethiopian-born runner, who now competes for the Netherlands. She also won a bronze in the 1,500 meters. Her victory in the 10,000 was her sixth race in eight days in Tokyo. ... Eliud Kipchoge pulled away late and no one could come close to catching him as the 36-year-old from Kenya defended his Olympic marathon title. Kipchoge finished in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 38 seconds on a breezy and humid Sunday along the streets of Sapporo. It was more than 80 seconds ahead of runner-up Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands. Bashir Abdi of Belgium earned bronze.
Baseball: A Japanese team of All-Stars fulfilled a determined national mission to win the Olympic gold medal for the first time, beating the United States 2-0 behind Munetaka Murakami’s third-inning home run. Masato Morishita and four relievers combined on a six-hitter, and the Japanese men matched the accomplishment of the women’s softball team, which upended the Americans for their second straight gold medal.
Diving: China finished off the single greatest diving performance in Olympic history when Cao Yuan outdueled teammate Yang Jian to win the men’s 10-meter platform title, giving the Chinese gold medals in seven of eight events at the Tokyo Games. China’s 12 diving medals tied the record for most won in the sport at a single Olympics. The U.S. also won 12 at the 1932 Los Angeles Games.
Men’s kayaking: In sprint canoe, Ronald Rauhe became the first man to win a medal in canoe sprint in five Olympics when Germany won the men’s kayak four 500 meters in the final race at the Sea Forest Waterway.
Men’s soccer: Malcom scored in the 108th minute and Brazil won its second consecutive gold medal in men’s soccer with a 2-1 victory over Spain. Brazil also won gold on home soil five years ago.
Women’s water polo: Ashleigh Johnson made 11 saves, Maddie Mussleman scored three times and the United States women routed Spain 14-5 in the water polo final. The U.S. won its third consecutive gold medal.