Despite coming to Rio with concerns over his fitness, the superstar crowd pleaser romped to a “triple triple” of gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m
Usain Bolt, Michael phelps, Simone Biles, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Lee Chong Wei
Usain Bolt
Despite coming to Rio with concerns over his fitness, the superstar crowd pleaser romped to a “triple triple” of gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m. The Jamaican stormed to the 100m gold clocking 9.81 seconds. He then cruised to the 200m title in 18.78 seconds, and finally helped his country defend their Olympics gold in the 4x100m final with a timing of 37.27 seconds. The Jamaican super sprinter’s consistent achievements also sealed his status as track and field’s greatest showman, posing for numerous selfies, while even trying his hand at javelin in an eerily quiet Olympic Stadium once the crowds had left. In a perfect finish, Sunday was also his 31st birthday.
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Michael Phelps
The US swimmer had numerous doubters before Rio, but left with five more golds to take his total to a stunning 23. Phelps, watched by fiancee Nicole and baby son Boomer, announced his retirement after winning gold medals in the 4x200m freestyle relay, 200m butterfly, 4x100m medley relay, 4x100m freestyle, 200m individual medley, besides a silver in the 100m butterfly. Phelps’ (31) overall Olympic medal tally is 27.
Simone Biles
US gymnast Simone Biles marked her Olympic debut with a record-equalling four gold medals, and just missed out of a record five. 19-year-old Biles won gold in the vault (where India’s Dipa Karmakar finished fourth), floor exercise, individual all round and team all round events. The only blip between her and history was a slip on the beam on the penultimate day of competition, which gave her bronze. She was the fifth woman to win four golds at the same Games after Hungarian Agnes Keleti (1956), Soviet Larissa Latynina (1956), Czech Vera Caslavska (1968) and Romanian Ecaterina Szabo (1984).
Novak Djokovic
World No 1 Novak Djokovic, looking to complete a career ‘Golden Slam’ of Olympic gold and the four majors, was the biggest upset in Rio. He was knocked out in the first round by a rejuvenated Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who went onto make the final where he lost to Briton Andy Murray. However, Serbia’s Djokovic leaving the tennis arena in tears, made for one of the most haunting images of the quadrennial Games. The 29-year-old 12-time singles Grand Slam champion has just one Olympic medal in his trophy cabinet — a bronze, which he won at Beijing 2008. Incidentally, Del Potro had also beaten Djokovic at the 2012 London Olympics, depriving him of the singles bronze medal.
Serena Williams
The world’s No 1 and powerful American tennis player was looking to add a fifth gold medal to her Olympics collection. Instead, she lost to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolin in Round Three soon after losing early in the double with sister Venus, and had to return empty handed. This in a year that saw her win her 22nd singles Grand Slat title at Wimbledon, besides final appearances in the Australian Open and French Open competitions.
Lee Chong Wei
Malaysia’s Lee suffered a third consecutive badminton final defeat after China’s Chen Long beat the World No 1 in straight games. Lee put on a brave face following his defeat to No 2 Chen, who became Olympic champion for the first time. The Malaysian has never won a world or Olympic title and will retire without that elusive gold medal.
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