Jamaica, Kenya and the United States added to their medal tallies in the 110 metres hurdles, women’s 1,500m race and men’s triple jump on Day Two of the athletics events in Rio, while Russia’s sole track and field competitor survived to compete another day. Report: Scott Malone
Athletes from Kenya, Croatia and Canada also claimed Olympic gold in a largely empty stadium, where announcers urged rowdy Brazilian fans to restrain themselves after provoking a French pole vaulter with a chorus of boos the night before.
Jamaica’s Omar McLeod earned the country its first gold in the men’s sprint hurdles, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon devastated the field in the 1,500m and American Christian Taylor successfully defended his triple-jump gold.
However, the loudest cheers of the night came for native pole vaulter Thiago da Silva as he received the gold medal he won on Monday night. The crowd once again booed silver medalist French Renaud Lavillenie, ignoring Da Silva’s gestures asking for quiet.
Lavillenie, who the night before had complained about the booing during his final attempt, apologised for having compared his experience to the hostility of Nazi Germany towards Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Games.
The announcer at the Rio Olympic Stadium at least four times during Tuesday’s evening competition asked the crowd to be respectful to the competitors, a reaction to the Carioca fans’ flashes of belligerence.
Russian athletes in particular have faced hostile crowds in Rio as the result of a doping scandal that has shaded the Games.
Long jumper Darya Klishina, the sole athlete from her country competing in track and field after the rest of the team was banned, escaped their wrath, but that was probably more a result of her slipping in unannounced and unnoticed rather than an overnight change of attitude.
After earning a spot in the final with a leap of 6.64m Klishina said she missed having team-mates.
“It is very hard being the only Russian,” she said.
“Unfortunately, I am here alone and this is a big responsibility.”
In the hurdles, McLeod beat Cuban-born Orlando Ortega who won silver for Spain, and Frenchman Dimitri Bascou, who took bronze. That left the US without a medal in the event for the first time in 120 years – with the exception of the boycotted 1980 Moscow Games
Kipyegon bided her time through the slow early stages of the 1,500m race before setting off on a blazing second half with Genzebe Dibaba but then pulling clear of the world record holder.
High jumper Derek Drouin earned Canada’s third gold medal of the Games, clearing 2.38 metres to beat Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim.
In the morning track and field programme, Taylor earned a second straight triple-jump gold with a 17.86m leap that is the furthest anyone has jumped this season, sailing 10cm longer than team-mate Will Claye.
Earlier, Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic also retained her shot put title with a third-round throw of 69.21 metres, 2.48 metres further than Melina Robert-Michon, who at 37 became France’s oldest Olympic medal winner in athletics.