Athletics

Bolt finishes Olympics with golden world record breaking flourish for Jamaica in 4x100m relay

Mike Rowbottom at the Olympic Stadium in London

Usain Bolt_August_11August 11 - Usain Bolt rounded off what has been an outstanding London 2012 athletics programme in suitably outstanding fashion here tonight as – with all clowning put aside – he paid full attention to business on the final leg of the 4x100 metre final, moving clear of Ryan Bailey of the United States before dipping through the line to register the third world record seen in this stadium, bringing Jamaica home in 36.84sec.

Double gold for Farah as London 2012 crowd rises in awe

By Mike Rowbottom at the Olympic Stadium in London

Mo Farah_on_podium_receiving_Olympic_5000m_gold_medal_August_11_2012August 11 - Mo Farah achieved something even the great Haile Gebrselassie never managed here tonight as he added the Olympic 5,000 metres gold to the 10,000m gold he had won a week earlier, thus becoming the seventh man in Games history to complete this double, following in the illustrious footsteps of the likes of Emil Zátopek, Vladimir Kuts, Lasse Virén and, most recently, Kenenisa Bekele.

IAAF creates new World Relays competition

By Mike Rowbottom

4x100m relay_10_AugustAugust 10 - A new international relay competition set up by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) – with the first two planned for Nassau, Bahamas, in May 2014 and 2015 – is likely to be used to qualify some teams for future World Championships and Olympic Games.

Bolt announces "legend" status after completing sprint double while Rudisha is simply "extraordinary"

By Mike Rowbottom at the Olympic Stadium in London

Usain Bolt_9_AugustAugust 9 - Usain Bolt fulfilled his own criteria for regarding himself as a legend here tonight as he completed his double defence of Olympic sprint titles by adding the 200 metres gold to the one he had already secured over 100m on Sunday night (August 5) – and in so doing consigned his young challenger Yohan Blake to a second silver medal.

Amputee Pistorius still has Olympic medal shot as South Africa wins relay appeal

By Mike Rowbottom at the Olympic Stadium in London

Oscar Pistorius_1_9_AugustAugust 9 - Oscar Pistorius' historic quest for an Olympic medal to add to the four golds and a bronze he has won at the Paralympics has been revived as South Africa won a place in tomorrow's 4x400 metres relay final on appeal after their second-leg runner, Ofentse Mogawane, was knocked over by a Kenyan opponent.

A triumphant night for US sees Felix, Merritt and Reese claim three out of four golds on offer

By Mike Rowbottom at the Olympic Stadium in London

Allyson Felix_of_United_StatesAugust 8 - The United States re-asserted some of their old supremacy in track and field tonight as they won three of the four golds on offer – through Allyson Felix in the 200 metres, Aries Merritt in the 110m hurdles and Brittney Reese in the long jump - and contributed seven medals in all to a national effort which saw the overall medal total rise beyond that of China, 81 to 77, even if the latter nation still occupies first place by dint of having two more golds.

Coe never in doubt over Bolt dominance

By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in London 

Usain bolt_at_London_2012_100_metre_finalAugust 6 - The sceptics may have questioned Usain Bolt's credentials in being able to retain his 100 metre Olympic crown on Sunday – but London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe wasn't one of them.