RIO DE JANEIRO : A classic Michael Phelps performance ended the swimming legend\u2019s career with 23 Olympic gold medals before handing over the Rio Games centre stage to Usain Bolt.
\nMo Farah stole the show at the athletics show in the 10,000m on Sunday, the United States says it reached 1,000 gold medals overall, but the night belonged to an emotional Phelps.
\nThe 31-year-old had to come from behind on the butterfly leg of the 4x100m medley but set up the victory in 3min 27.95sec which included a world record in the backstroke leg by America\u2019s Ryan Murphy.
\nIt was a fittingly triumphant swansong for Phelps, 31, the most decorated Olympian in history who added five golds and a silver in Rio. He finished his career with 28 medals overall.
\nPhelps said he had felt himself “starting to crack” heading for the pool. But the man who gave up once after the 2012 London Games said he had no regrets about returning to competition.
\n“This is how I wanted to finish my career. I\u2019ve lived a dream come true. Being able to cap it off with these Games is just the perfect way to finish,” he said.
\nThe women\u2019s quartet of Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Simone Manuel and Dana Vollmer also won their race, which the US Olympic Committee said took the country to 1,000 Olympic golds.
\nUsain Bolt is also looking for a perfect finish to his Olympic career, by sweeping the 100m, 200m and relay sprint golds for the third straight Olympics.
\nThe Jamaican and his US arch-rival Justin Gatlin both came through their preliminary races with ease Sunday.
\nBarring a catastrophe, they will clash in the final at 0125 GMT (Monday) and both are confident.
\n“I\u2019m feeling good. I\u2019m happy,” said Bolt. “So now it\u2019s all about execution and getting it right when it comes to the finals.”
\nOn the track, Mo Farah had to pick himself up after being clipped by training partner Galen Rupp in the 10,000m.
\nHe gave a thumbs up to Rupp, galloped away and produced a trademark surge on the last bend to win in 27min 05.17sec.
\n“When I went down, I thought, \u2018Oh my God, that is it.\u2019 I just got up and wanted to stick with the guys and stay strong,” Farah said. “It\u2019s never easy but everyone knows what I can do.”
\nElaine Thompson ended the reign of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with a women\u2019s 100m victory of 10.71sec which torpedoed her fellow Jamaican\u2019s hopes of an Olympic hat-trick in the event.
\nTori Bowie of the United States took silver with 10.83sec while Fraser-Pryce claimed bronze in 10.86.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
RIO DE JANEIRO : A classic Michael Phelps performance ended the swimming legend\u2019s career with 23 Olympic gold medals before handing over the Rio Games centre stage to Usain Bolt. Mo Farah stole the show at the athletics show in the 10,000m on Sunday, the United States says it reached 1,000 gold medals overall, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n