Canada's Andre de Grasse has won Olympic gold in the men's 200 meters after finishing second only to Usain Bolt in five years, ending a string of close calls for the 26-year-old.
De Grasse won in a national-record time of 19.62 seconds, holding off two Americans for the medals.
Kenneth Bednarek took silver in a personal best of 19.68 seconds, and 2019 world champion and race favorite Noah Lyles took the bronze in 19.74 seconds. US at the age of 17 Arianne Knighton, the youngest member of the men's track team, finished fourth in 19.93.
De Grasse has now filled a medal collection with only one gold missing. He won bronze in the 100 meters four nights earlier and finished third in Rio de Janeiro. He also won a silver in the 200 in Rio when he challenged Bolt in the semifinals - pulling a playful finger wag - before being blown away by the Jamaican champions in the final.
Given all he's been through, it was no surprise when de Grasse revealed that he was crying behind the bronze-hued shades he wore to the race.
"It's my first time on the track to be so emotional," said de Grasse, the first sprint gold medalist for Canada since Donovan Bailey won the 100 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. "I always thought I came in with fewer bronzes and silvers, so good to have that gold medal. No one can take that away from me."
Lyle made a mistake the night before in the semi-finals, slowed down long before the line, was out for two automatic spots and was forced to see if his time would earn him a qualifying spot.
He had to pay the price in the final. Forced to start in lane 3, Lyles pushed too quickly. He had the edge in the homestretch, but he had nothing else to offer.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't see anyone and was running for my life," Lyles said. "I thought I was behind. I felt like I was following."
In other medal races at the Olympic Stadium, Emmanuel Korir won gold and led Kenyans 1–2 in the men's 800 m, and Uganda's Peruth Chemutai chased American Courtney Frerichs to claim gold in the women's 3,000 m steeplechase. Did.
Korir took the win in 1:45.06, leaving Australia's Peter Boll behind at the final turn. This was Kenya's fourth consecutive victory in the 800 at the Olympics.
Teammate Ferguson Rotich won the silver medal with a late kick to overtake Poland's Patrick Dobeck, who took the bronze ahead of Bol.
David Rudisha had won two previous Olympic gold medals in the 800, but did not make the Kenya team this year due to long-term injury problems.
The world-record holder still made sure to congratulate the new 800 champion. Shortly after Korir derailed, a cellphone appeared in the pocket of a Kenya team official next to him. The officer built the phone, popped it on the speaker and announced: "This is Rudisha."
"Congratulations man, congratulations," said Rudisha, listening intently to everyone, including Korir. "Ah, that was impressive. You ran a smart race, a smart race. How do you feel?"
Korir, who explained moments earlier how he was inspired by Rudisha when he was a child, was lost for words, replied, "I am overjoyed. I don't know what to say."
Rudisha laughed and then gave some quick advice.
"Now you're going to start feeling that weight," he said. "It's cool. It's cool. Brilliant. Good luck. We'll see you when you get back home."
Clayton Murphy of the United States, bronze medalist in 2016, finished last.
In the steeplechase, Chemutai made his move on the final lap before walking away for the win. She set a national record with her time of 9:01.45.
Freirich flew off the pack with about 2½ laps to go, then held for silver after being caught by Chemutai. Hiwin Kiang of Kenya finished third.
Emma Coburn of the United States was disqualified for what was listed as a lane violation after finishing in the back of the field. He earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games.
"I should have been perfect today," Coburn said. "I should have been excellent. And I wasn't. And I don't think there's anything we could have done differently in practice to minimize a disaster that's troubling today."
Poland's Wojciech Nowicki won the men's hammer throw to finally clinch the gold medal.
The 32-year-old took the lead from the first round and improved with each of his first three attempts to reach a personal-best 82.52m, the winning mark.
Nowicki was a bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympics and won bronze medals at three world championships.
Norway's Evind Henriksen set a national record in the fifth round with a throw of 81.58m and finished with a silver medal. Four-time world champion Pawel Fajdek of Poland won the bronze medal with a score of 81.53.
Alison Felix entered the 400m final, although the nine-time Olympic medalist admitted it was not what it used to be.
"You get older," the 35-year-old said, "and it seems like it's harder."