Brazil scales the heights of happiness winning Olympic gold in the pole vault

By Euronews

Published on 16/08/2016 - 05:48

Brazil’s Thiago Da Silva has upset the form books by taking gold in the Olympic pole vault after clearing 6.

Brazil’s Thiago Da Silva has upset the form books by taking gold in the Olympic pole vault after clearing 6.03m to set a new Olympic record.

He pushed the favourite, Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie into second place taking silver.

That was extraordinary..GOLD FOR #BRA ! Thiago Braz de Silva OR! pic.twitter.com/Bd5th6gvkG
— Sarah (@sehartg) August 16, 2016

The surprise win over the world record holder gives Brazil its first gold in athletics and the host nation’s second gold medal of the Games. Sam Kendricks of the USA took bronze.

Kenyan David Rudisha stormed to victory in the men’s 800 metres to become the first man since New Zealand’s Peter Snell in 1964 to defend successfully the Olympic 800m title. Rudisha won the race with a time of 1 minute 42 seconds.

Back-to-back! David Rudisha becomes the 1st man to repeat as Olympic 800m champ since 1964. pic.twitter.com/e0gYw7k2oy
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 16, 2016

The 27-year-old crossed the line several metres ahead of Algeria’s Taoufik Makhloufi, the London Games gold medal winner over 1500m. Clayton Murphy of the USA took bronze.

And Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas litterally threw herself at the line to clinch the gold in the women’s 400m final with a personal best time of 49.44 seconds. She pipped Allyson Felix to the title by the narrowest of margins, denying the American her fifth Olympic gold medal. Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson took bronze.