If you love track and field, last night was must see TV in Rio!  Last night featured finals in the men’s 400m and 100m.

The 400m race featured the last 2 Olympic champions in LaShawn Merritt of the USA (2008) and Kirani James of Grenada (2012), and last year’s world champion Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa.  Merritt was unable to defend his title at the 2012 Olympics due to suffering a hamstring injury in the preliminary heats. So this was a much anticipated showdown.

After seeing how good the 3 were running through the rounds it was fairly obvious that it would take a world record effort to win. And young Van Niekerk did not disappoint.

The young South African set a blistering pace from lane 8. Meaning that he could not see anyone, he was essentially running blind. When the came off the last turn into the home stretch the 3 favorites, Van Niekerk, James and Merritt were right with each other, but Van Niekerk proceeded to throw it into overdrive and began pulling away. The result was a gold medal for South Africa, and the obliteration of the world record set by Michael Johnson 17 years ago.

In the featured even, the men’s 100m final, it was billed as a showdown between Usain Bolt and the USA’s Justin Gatlin. Bolt of course was attempting to win gold for the 3rd consecutive Olympics, and Gatlin, who won 100m gold in 2004 in Athens was attempting to avenge his 0.01 sec loss to bolt in last year’s world championships.

 Gatlin got out to a fabulous start and at 50 meters appeared to have the upset in hand, but Bolt has probably the best top end speed in the history of the sport. He was able to reel in Gatlin and claim 100m gold for the 3rd consecutive Olympiad. Gatlin took silver, with Canada’s Andre DeGrasse taking bronze.

Even though Gatlin did not win, joins Bolt in an exclusive club. They are the only 2 to ever win 3 medals, in 3 different Olympiads in the 100m. This will no doubt solidify Bolt’s position as the greatest sprinter of all time.