Day 9 Highlights Olympics

Hello and welcome to Rio Replay, highlights of day nine.

We will see Usain Bolt in the 100 metres final.

First, tennis, Andy Murray defending his Olympic crown he won in London

2012 in the gold medal match, against Juan Martin Del Potro.

One thing occurs to me, I think Murray and Rafael Nadal

who have this nine o'clock flight booked, the driver is

Unlike for you and me, he will.

Murray sensing that Del Potro is going through a bit of a lull,

that was a wounding break of serve and he is trying

Just the right tactic for Del Potro, he got Murray so far back.

Phenomenally fit, Murray, absolutely was.

Weather the storm from that bone-crushing forehand again

and came out on top this time, there is a real

resilience in defence from Murray, great skills.

Blistering pace, you never tire of watching him do this,

No challenge from Del Potro and Murray has a three-game

Three games in a row for Andy Murray, real strong

We thought it would be an afternoon match!

It is after ten o'clock in the evening.

You still feel that it has a long way to run.

Do not know quite what signal Pascal gave him, but it was enough

Another one drifts on, it is getting to be a pattern.

There are more lulls in the concentration of Del Potro

at the moment, Murray has had some timely resurgent tennis.

Three set points for Andy Murray.

And on this quite extraordinary day for British sport,

Andy Murray is one set away from his second Olympic gold medal.

It was beautiful, a spike through the heart of Del Potro,

metaphorically speaking, a wonderful forehand return strike

from Murray, brilliant, 2-1 sets up and Murray

COMMENTATOR: Andy Murray in a bit of trouble, dropped the opening two

points of this first game of the fourth set.

It is exactly what happened at the start of the second set.

He worked so hard to take the first, there was a little dip,

and it seems it is happening again here, two break

Here's having a howler of a game, Andy Murray.

It isn't reflecting quite right at the moment.

Difficult to fathom, and maybe Murray is struggling

to find out exactly why that happened, but it happened.

And Del Potro, to be honest, didn't have to do an awful lot.

A very limp away to concede his service game, he will be frustrated

with that, but Del Potro delighted, as you say, he didn't

have to do much at all, he has the early break

Just when it was looking really grim for Del Potro,

Well, the speed gun is broken, so we can't tell you how

I hope you didn't pick it up at home.

There is a renewed intensity in Del Potro that we

haven't seen for a while, and that is because he has been

These things happen over the course of a long match.

And because of the gravitas of the situation, you often ask

yourself, I wonder how these athletes slept last night?

With having to play for the gold medal, with it all at stake,

how much rest they got, the adulation Del Potro

will have received, having beaten Nadal.

On the other hand, he might have been so shattered

That's what he did on the set point, that kind of forehand return.

He could do with another one right now.

Break back point for Murray.

We couldn't see what the problem was.

Maybe you picked something up at home, but it is so noisy here.

The mis-timed forehand from Murray brought Del Potro in,

Yes, Del Potro unable to stabilise the wrist and make the volley.

Look at this, he gets down and secures it, well done.

A mouthwatering shot to break back there from Andy Murray.

Look at this, just perfectly weighted, it was carving

underneath the ball, beautiful to watch.

And he has broken Del Potro three times in a row.

When you think that Del Potro is serving still at 74%

Sorry for the lip readers amongst you!

Well, he did it in the game before, didn't he?

Not so now, but he still finds himself 0-30 down.

Looking tired, but he still seems as if he has got plenty left.

If he can break here, he will be given a big lift.

Del Potro can't believe it, he looks across but

And he is a very fair man, Del Potro, just

It was a beautiful height and weight from Andy Murray,

Just when he's trying to close the door on the Argentinian,

Well, it wasn't cleanly hit from Del Potro, and Murray actually

had a more difficult task, to dig that one up, then he might have.

Del Potro gets the break, three successive breaks, he leads 2-1.

STUDIO: So, we are staying with this match.

Andy Murray looking to defend the title he won in London 2012,

but that is the scene at the athletics stadium,

Usain Bolt aiming for the treble treble here in Rio,

following a double treble success in London.

Tonight the eyes of the world will be watching to see

Before the start, measured, composed, ready, set, and then bang.

That overwhelming tension is broken in an explosion of action.

2.25am, set your alarm, stay with us.

His main rival for gold is Justin Gatlin, some casting him

as track and field's archvillain, having served two

He will be lining up, and one thing is for certain,

Back to the gold medal match, Andy Murray taking

on Juan Martin Del Potro for the gold medal.

COMMENTATOR: Who is going to hold serve first in this set?

Yes, the change of the point of attack worked a treat.

We appreciate it is gone midnight at home, coming up

Those of you working tomorrow, hope you've got an understanding boss!

It has been a familiar pattern in this set, the 0-30.

Now, can Del Potro wriggle out of jail?

They are both terrific servers, they just haven't been in this set.

He is rubbing his left thigh like it just might be beginning to cramp up.

There is a lot of grimacing going down, and doubling over.

Murray looking right down the court at him, and saw all of that,

and that will be like manna from heaven.

To the credit of Andy Murray, he gets the forehand

through the court a lot faster over the last 18 months or so,

The torture is increasing on Del Potro.

Murray breaks but it was not just the break, it was that

Murray is using the slice effectively, the ball staying low

and Del Potro hating getting down low and it all became too much.

Well, he looks close to exhaustion, he is difficult to read

but when he was massaging his leg, that told us.

The hammer blows are not having the same effect at the moment

and he is extended slightly out of his comfort zone,

he is struggling and buckling physically.

Losing control of that end-range volley, earlier

A much-needed rally from Del Potro, but it took a lot out of him.

That right arm is working pretty well.

He keeps an ever menacing presence in the set,

there is a nonchalance about it but he still presses for a winner.

They have been flowing thick and fast, the errors,

from the man in the light blue shirt.

Murray moves in front in this fourth set for the first time.

Murray is a keen boxing fan and in the boxing parlance,

this is like a fighter going into the tenth or 11th

round and he has taken most of the blows and sees

It seems that way now, we will see, he leads 3-2.

Can he land a knockout blow on Del Potro?

You're watching the men's singles gold medal match.

Andy Murray looking to defend the title that he won in 2016.

Very hot day here in Rio and you can see what it is doing

to Juan Martin Del Potro who has been terrific in this competition.

Straight after this gold medal match, he is loving it,

we will be crossing live to the Olympic Stadium

because it is a massive night, 2:25am, the 100 metre final,

Usain Bolt versus Justin Gatlin and on BBC Four, if you want

the build-up, look at that scene, beautiful stadium, cross to BBC Four

now if you want to hear from Gabby Logan and Michael

Here on BBC One, we are staying with his gold medal match.

He had the physio on rubbing his leg, he is not allowed

to have a time-out for cramp but he is allowed to have the physio

He was rubbing his legs furiously.

You wonder what else the physio gave him!

An injection of energy from Del Potro.

Still given the short ball, and it is invariably good night,

but he is getting less and less short balls.

Murray challenging him, that is a huge game for Del Potro.

A love service game, it is 3-3, and the crowd

He is trying to dance on his feet, Del Potro, as the crowd

He is in one of those lights-out unplayable phases right now.

They sense they can help carry him home here.

Well, it was interesting that point, Murray played it well but Del Potro

Murray carving around the outside angle beautifully.

He has got one challenge left for the rest of this set.

He will be feeling a little bit more vulnerable.

Down the line looked the better option, but not to be.

The atmosphere has become raucous again.

The lob nowhere near good enough and out of nowhere,

When you least expect it, and that is part of the problem,

when he least expects it, suddenly, sometimes it goes adrift

Full credit to Del Potro, he was smacking it,

The untimely double fault makes you wonder

Simultaneously coupled with the fact that Del Potro made some good balls

there and another break of serve on Murray and it is frustrating

for British fans because he has looked in control and suddenly

We had that analogy about petrol and it seems he is running out

of petrol and if you looked at the petrol gauge,

But that gives him more fuel, what happened in that last game.

A little pit stop for him, favourably.

Concern for those men, in the Murray camp.

Whether or not he wins or loses this, because it was a titanic

We have seen some great wigs and masks!

Every time he has broken this set, Murray has broken straight back.

Sure enough, he is on his case again.

The tactic that has become prevalent for Murray is the drop shot.

But also staying very low to Del Potro, does not

Great return, maybe earlier in the match, Del Potro

He was a step slow, did not quite get his legs behind that.

He served so well tonight, Del Potro, 75% first serves in, Andy

Murray only 50%, it has kept him afloat, or certainly helped to.

That is not the shot that you would expect from Murray. Normally, a bit

more conservative in nature, and a steadier type of choice.

Murray will have to serve now to stay in the set.

Yeah, you would have to take your hat off

He's shown such attitude and application and he's been

Certainly there are Argentines everywhere.

Terrific injection of pace there from Murray.

We are losing it more and more, but still anything within range,

I think he would be foolish to step off the pedal as regards

going after the forehand because it has served him so well.

That shot has normally been a gimme for Murray, but not

Murray holds and Del Potro will have to serve out for this fourth set.

Getting a few tweets in saying, "Hurry up, Murray.

Believe me, it is not for want of trying.

Very rarely in matches that are not Davis Cup do you get

Yes, they have been so vocal throughout, haven't they?

Any opportunity just jumping around.

It doesn't seem alcohol-fuelled

Just fun-loving, really encouraging their man on and enjoying

Murray is probably thinking about the next point,

the first point off the Del Potro serve that he wants

So after three hours and 25 minutes Del Potro serves to take us

And how often you heard Andy Murray's racquet

clattering on the floor, almost as a stabiliser

I may have been looking too closely at it, but it was a very tired shot.

It was a lazy address to the ball, wasn't it?

Yes, it was the sledgehammer forehand approach that came

A couple of those lobs went up so high they needed

They are always tough to take out of the air.

Pinning him on the backhand side and then playing down the forehand.

Just a giant strike to his right.

Del Potro was hanging onto the net as if it was supporting him.

Robust Andy Murray all the hard yards run serving him well.

Again, it was amazing that Del Potro got to that drop shot,

but Murray stayed composed and just having the foresight to move forward

on that was just brilliant for Murray.

It was an exquisitely weighted drop shot but Del Potro will be saying,

Well, it has been drama to the full, unfolding incredibly.

Murray had to work so hard for the break and now he's got it.

It just went off like a gun.

What an engaging character he is, Del Potro.

It is interesting, if he misses this, he is out of challenges.

It is a long way down, but - it is in.

Until and if we go for a tie break where he gets one more,

but right now he's got to rely on the officials.

A credit to Pascal Maria then for intervening.

It looked a fair decision for Murray to come in on that.

It was a wonderful approach from Andy Murray.

He actually hit it very, very well, reasonable depth.

Terrific, inspired range from Del Potro.

He wants the same ball back.

None were as important as that one.

Suddenly the racquet becomes a wand.

He is a game away from the gold medal.

I understand in Andy's home he's got this stair machine.

You know the ones that just go on and on up the stairs

and he drives himself until he is almost ill.

It is for moments like this that he does that.

Over on BBC Four the athletics is starting.

I think in about an hour and 25 minutes Usain Bolt will be going.

So a fantastic night of athletics coming up.

But, we will stay right here with this gold medal match

and Andy Murray is a game away from his second Olympic title.

Didn't do quite enough, really, with the overhead.

Always strikes me as quite remarkable how this man can live

at this tempo when he is quite tired as well.

He is shaking his head because he was onto his serve.

Well, he is claiming someone in the crowd put him off.

Some for the person who might have done that and some

Wouldn't Murray love to finish it right here,

rather than having to go through the torture

I think that someone's been asked to leave.

Are they booing because he's a hero or because he's a villain?

After four hours exactly it's the gold medal point for Murray.

That was as tension-riddled forehand return.

Andy Murray is a double Olympic gold medallist.

But they'll have a special bond after what's happened

It's almost the same as four years ago in

Words can barely contextualise what is happening over here.

It's overwhelmingly emotional, but another landmark moment

And now, both Argentines and Brazilians, the

I'm amazed he lasted at the level he was going for.

But after last night, three and a quarter hours against Nadal,

the tennis of the unbelievable standard, to produce what he did

Having gone through the trenches, all the years with the wrist issues,

the multiple surgeries, and that gives him time to think

about himself and what he wants to do and just to be out here,

It means so much to him, and for Andy...

Murray comes over to a little band of English supporters

And he's going to do an interview for the host broadcaster.

We'll be talking to Andy later on, that's for sure.

Even the Brazilians are waving him goodbye.

He played arguably better than when he was

Del Potro has had a fantastic Olympics, bronze medallist in 2012,

London, now he is a silver medallist, well done Andy Murray,

don't go to bed, the 100 metre final is coming up featuring Usain Bolt.

Potentially the world champion, the world was looking to see if Goodwood

conquer evil, it was pantomime proportions, not so much this time,

it does not feel like it has a theatrical edge to it. Is that

because Usain Bolt looks in better shape this time? Yes, the situation

is different this time. Last year, Justin Gatlin was running the

fastest times he's ever done in his career. Also last year, Usain Bolt

had been injured throughout the entire season, he kept having starts

and stops to his training, he was trying to get himself ready for the

championship. It even to the two athletes out, making it more even.

Usain Bolt not running as well, Justin Gatlin running well. This

should be the opposite, Justin Gatlin is not doing as well, Bolt

did not have the injuries. His decision not to run in the trial

finals was more precautionary, and he was able to train throughout the

entire time. Without these starts and stops. He is in a better

position, Usain Bolt at this point, Van he was at this point last year.

-- than he was. The issue is, with this talk of rivalry between Bolt

and gallon, it is 74 Usain Bolt and one for Justin Gatlin -- Justin

Gatlin. He is the only person to get close and challenge Usain Bolt, then

we have two adding that way, in the media, we built this narrative and

had to take responsibility. Good versus evil, allowing it to be

perpetuated... That is not quite so politically? I think you are right,

we have a genuine rivalry, Jamaica against the USA, two dominance

printed nations, they want to have a title but I think that there is an

air of, he really feels... He is in such imperious form, does Justin

Gatlin really stand a chance? We feel more confident about this match

and head-to-head, then I think last year. The stadium is absolutely

packed, people have brought their own Saronic effigies of the great

man, I don't know how that got through security! -- ceramic. As he

does his victory lap, he will run right past! Do you enjoy watching

Usain Bolt race? You pleased be here tonight? He is such a vibrant

personality. A lot of people here come to see him, they are truly

excited by seeing him and people enjoy it. There are not that many

people in athletics who truly create that kind of drama and interest.

And, sheer joy. Your last Jessica Ennis-Hill does. She has given us so

much joy in the last few years. She was quite hesitant and cagey to

commit to her long-term future last night, understandably in the heat of

the moment, I would say 60-40, she is thinking about hanging up her

spikes... She said stop it, don't make me cry, don't ask me! As he

does, Phil Jones kept asking and eventually some tears came. But she

seemed to have a moment where she said she needed time to think about

it. Have you had this a head of Rio? It was all is going to be a

watershed moment, I know you have London next year, but the Olympic

Games is the end of a four-year cycle. And you want to make a

decision. We have said, you want to judge it after the moment, find out

what middle you have one, if you finish fifth or sixth, you make a

decision, but remember athletes seldom get to choose when they

retire. Often it is forced upon them through injury or UCI athletes

staying in the sport for a little too long. OK, the athletes are

getting ready for the first of the 100 metres semifinals, Ashmead is

going in this one, Marlon Brazier of the USA, Jimmy Mico as well.

This will be a good one, kicking off what is all about the fastest men in

the world, ending at 2:25am with the 100 metre final. But first, the

semifinals. COMMENTATOR: Thank you. The first

semifinal already out there, they get the first semifinal already out

there, they get the first early, a few moments to

The South African record holder here.

Xie. A very good young Chinese athlete.

He could be a danger here, Meite, from the ivory coast.

And a real case -- test for Marvin Bracy.

A good starter. Harvey, now running for Turkey.

Normally, this is the stage, semifinal stage where we start to

see the time is being run. The top two and two fastest losers. Bolt

macro is up next, Gatlin in the third. -- bolt. It is warm, still,

perfect sprinting conditions. A very even start. Jimmy Vicaut for the

win. That is better. He only came through as the fastest loser, the

Frenchman. Very tight for the second. Very close on the line.

Dicko was really good in the first 30 metres. -- Vicaut.

He switched himself on for the race committee was guaranteed in the top

two positions. In the semifinals, he could really shine. It was uneven

field, as you mentioned. Vicaut did what was necessary, coming out the

blocks well. I think Ashmead came out so strongly. And Vicaut just

tapped on on him. Such a strong finisher, good frequency on the

floor, holding form through to the line. Stopping the clock at 9.95, a

great performance, and through to the final. A great performance.

Usain Bolt is out for these semifinals, CJ Ujah goes in this one

as well. Is it good or bad for him to be in the lane next to him, are

you happy with that? Yes, you want to be where the action is, and where

the guys are running fast, and hope you can hang on with the fast guys

so they can pull you flew falls -- pull you through. CJ will try to get

a faster and quicker start out of the box, Usain Bolt will go past in

the first 30 but will hang on committee wants to run his own race.

At least in the first 30-60, and hang on. Stay as close to Usain Bolt

as possible. You mentioned conditions earlier on committee

niece, it is very warm here tonight, these guys have another hour and a

half or so, they have to get themselves into the physical and

mental state, what do you do with yourself physically, so you don't

get exhausted? You possibly don't have too warm up

as intensely. When time is so short it is about

staying relaxed in the mind, visualising, thinking about what you

are doing. Staying in that moment. This is a tough draw for CJ Ujah. He

has said so much the World Championships helped him last year

and he will use that. He is growing in maturity. As

Michael said, having the fast guys will pull him through.

And one of the old guys, Kim Collins, 40 years old, in a

semifinal of the 100 metres Olympics.

He has kept themselves in great shape and uses his experience. He is

still having fun and in a great position.

There is no pressure. He has been running well.

There was a Fandango in London where he ended up pulling out because he

felt out with his Olympic organisation. He did not compete in

London. He thought that might be the last time he would have a shot at

this. Here he is lining up in the

semifinal alongside Usain Bolt. Let Oscar to Steve Cram. -- let us

go. The first semifinal was very tight.

At the moment as a fastest loser you would have to run under ten seconds.

To make the semifinals at 40 years old is astonishing.

He did run 9.93 earlier, in Germany. He hasn't come close to that again.

This Jamaican is my honest about transferring to Bahrain, saying it

was hard to fulfil his ambition of running at the highest level.

De Grasse, bronze last year in championships.

And there is a cheerful perhaps the greatest sprinter there has ever

been. He might never match those

astonishing times of 2008, and 2009. He is still the man to beat, the man

they come to see. CJ Ujah said he might perhaps be

able to relax now reaching this semifinal. Standing alongside Usain

Bolt. And outside, the man who shared

bronze with Andre de Grasse in Beijing with exactly the same time,

Trayvon Bromell. Nothing is guaranteed in sport but

everyone here expects Usain Bolt to make the final.

But things can go wrong. And how does CJ Ujah feel in these

moments? The second semifinal, two to go

through automatically. Oh, it is a false start, Andrew

Fisher is gone. He knows, we know...

Yes, this is very clear. Fisher, well before the gun. As you

mentioned, he wants to fulfil his ambition and be great.

Unfortunately, he will be out of this race, I believe.

He was halfway up the track. A rueful smile.

Must be the first false start we have had, I can't remember any

others in this meeting. There might have been one. Usain

Bolt has seen it all before, he has done it before.

And he asks the stadium to fall silent and they do.

Cleanly away this time, not a bad start from Usain Bolt already moving

away from CJ Ujah. An easy 9.84 from Usain Bolt. I

think it is going to be very quick in the final and Usain Bolt will be

there. What makes you think it will be

quick! A majestic performance from Usain Bolt. We knew he would have to

work hard for 40 metres because the talent in this field alongside him

could produce that themselves. He had to get out very well indeed and

work hard for that first 40 metres. Once he unleashes that massive

stride, it is long and fast, he pulls the gap so easily. You can see

the moves away and start to look around. He will shut down, look at

the clock 9.80 six. We can look forward to something really

sensational. He will go back into the warm room,

have a quick chat with his coach, discuss what they think he need to

improve on. He is in great shape because conditions are virtually

perfect. A good one by CJ Ujah.

Usain Bolt's time has been rounded up.

In terms of semifinals, that is as quick as he has run in a major

championships. In Beijing, 9.85. Trayvon Bromell alongside CJ Ujah,

the Graz has run a personal best. -- De Grasse.

That was very quick indeed. Bolt sensationally through with his

almost quickest ever semifinal. What responsible we see from Justin

Gatlin? One nonstarter, Daniel Bailey is not there.

James Dasaolu for Great Britain on the far side. The first two grow

through to the final later tonight. And two of the fastest losers.

CJ Ujah has just lost out on that fastest loser spot.

Watch out for Yohan Blake, Kemarley Brown next to Gatling -- Jacklin.

Justin Gatlin gets a powerful start. Yohan Blake started to come through.

It will be Yohan Blake joining Justin Gatlin. Not as quick as Usain

Bolt but pretty good. The way he goes, get ready for the

final. It is on, everybody, Justin Gatlin versus Usain Bolt.

It is all bubbling up very. Nicely That was the slower of the three

semifinals. I don't know whether we can read

much into that. Justin Gatlin, it all looked very

straightforward and simple. He is very methodical in the way he

approaches this race, always so accurate with every strike.

Technically, he is nearly flawless. He is so powerful. Every time he

strikes the floor, pulls back on the tarmac, push him forward. The power

propels him in front. It looks pretty comfortable but I

think he has defined two more metres to challenge Usain Bolt later on. --

he had to find. The semifinals can be a great

indicator. Last time, he looked pretty good.

But Usain Bolt looks so good. Justin Gatlin isn't flat out, he backs off,

already looking at the clock. James Dasaolu in sixth place, no

British sprinters in the final. Justin Gatlin and Usain Bolt and

Yohan Blake are there. Let us tidy all of that up.

The other semifinals, both qualifiers by Bates went under ten

seconds. Gotch by rights. I can tell you in

terms of fastest losers, it will be Trayvon Bromell and Simbine.

It's a shame that CJ missed out. He was the person we were lucking for.

Let's have a look, this man can take three consecutive 100 metre medals

committee will do that tonight. These are the finalists for this

evening. Usain Bolt qualified fastest, and that involved a couple

of head turns, and very relaxed running from him. Andre de Grasse,

Justin Gatlin, and these are the rest of your finalists. That goes

out to 20 5am. What did you make of those and that line-up? Not as good

as last year, Justin Gatlin is not running as fast as last year. Mole

hardly got in, he was 9.92 last year, running fast. Andre de Grasse

of Canada... He was a bronze medallist? Yes, and Johann Blake is

staying back. He was one of the athletes, another Jamaican who did

that back in 2009. But, I thought Usain Bolt looks like what we

expected from him, when he is healthy. He had all those injury

issues over the past three years, when he is healthy he is unbeatable,

no doubt of that, I don't expect that there will be any hiccups, he

will do what he expects. Let's talk about the 1500 metres, that normally

involves more hiccups, Paula Radcliffe joins us, qualifying for

these is so tough? Hopefully it will not involve pick-ups... Smooth

running for both of the girls, the second with a slightly easier

semifinal, her form has been brilliant.

Hopefully, it won't involve hiccups and hopefully,

Possibly slightly easy semi, the second.

The form she's showing, she does have gene Simpson in there.

The form she's showing, she does have Jean Simpson in there.

She is up again, she has got Shannon in there.

Ideal for her, she's beaten a lot of the people in the semifinal,

I think she's pretty comfortable there.

She wants to walk off knowing she's given it her best shot.

She got through a one of the fastest losers.

She'll want this race to be more straightforward for her.

She's in great shape, according to her coach.

We know that Laura Weightman is in good shape.

Some Kenyan champion, the Commonwealth champion.

Bronze over 800m in Moscow, through years ago.

The next 2 fastest losers to Tuesday's final.

They'll want to be quick, not knowing how the second

And already, a fairly brisk and taking it out.

And already, a fairly brisk and taking it out.

Always a bit of a surging to the front and then it

They set off at a brisk place and then they settle down

and concertina and then they have to be careful.

They are not invested in a fast time.

Laura Weightman is definitely not having that.

I spoke to her coach and if it goes slow,

I like to see an athlete on the big occasion see what is happening,

realise it is not going her way and move to the front

This is good running by Laura Weightman.

She salvaged the fist lap as they jogged for

Shannon Rowbury, look out for the Moroccan athlete who sits

The tall German comes running on the outside

and still Laura Weightman is the pacemaker for

At the back of the field we are looking for two athletes -

the last time they ran in a semifinal was in

She was fouled for punching her team mate for being so competitive.

They are both very, very good, indeed.

Moving through now Shannon Rowbury on the outside, alongside Mageean.

Brenda Martinez is there, two Americans.

Still out in front Laura Weightman and the pace is beginning to

Laura can relax, don't get herself in a bad place.

She was a finalist of the Olympic Games in London.

She knows her way around and knows what to do.

She is running strongly and competitively.

If she just stays there and doesn't get too concerned about it,

she will find herself in a reasonable

It is still bunching and arms waving and a little bit of clipping and

Laura Weightman is handing on the outside.

Laura Weightman is in a good position as they come up with 300

metres to go and now it will be all the way over

Shannon Rowbury is running well on the outside.

Still at this point it is about time for Laura to be competitive

She is hanging on in the inside but just hanging on.

Ciara Mageean she is trying to get around.

The effort on the face of Laura Weightman.

Shannon Rowbury and Weightman just looking around and Arafi

The fast-finishing - Weightman tried to hold on and just

on the line she makes it for fifth and for qualification for the final

What a brave effort to take it out in front and then after doing

all of the work for everyone else to hold on and make it

Well, that was a very, very good performance by Laura Weightman.

Looks like she has got a spike down the front of your foot.

You can live with that if it is only a spike.

Let's be honest, it doesn't matter if it is only a scratch.

She looks anxious, but I tell you what, that was a very good

Her experience told there and what he did

She moves into fifth place but Seyaum is away.

Shannon Rowbury running powerfully into the finishing straight.

Here comes Laura Weightman and pressure on the outside

but the fighter that she is and always has been,

She is determined to be in the final.

She battles on through and makes her way to the final.

You can see the blood pouring down her leg.

Hopefully it is more a cosmetic problem than it is a real wound,

but at the end of the day the fastest in the world

That is what it means to be in the Olympic final and that is how

But you see the battle scars of Weightman.

That is the confrontation of nature sometimes in

What an effort that was from Weightman to make it

through and we can confirm that for you.

The noise inside the stadium is enormous at the moment.

Dawit Seyaum is through and Shannon Rowbury

Laura Weightman goes through in fifth place.

Laura, we have just seen you through.

You have got a bad gash on your shin there.

Just your reaction to make the Olympic final?

I was so nervous coming into this, I didn't think

Nobody was going to stop you coming down the home straight?

I am pleased I took the chance and I am so happy

A final with an athlete who is a huge favourite.

She said she is only here to take gold.

She goes into the lead in the second round.

There is Laura Muir who got herself an incredible British record

at the Anniversary Games eclipsing the win by kely.

What a run to do, her last race, heading into these Olympic Games.

What a gutsy run from the other Laura.

She was not going to be beaten into fifth place, was she?

She was going to get herself in the final.

She was definitely getting into the final.

She went out there and she got badly spiked.

I am not sure if that was at the bell or when she

She rallied from that and she fought hard.

The Polish girl finished really, really fast.

This is a girl who had a semifinal place ripped away from her last year

when she tripped and crossed the line qualifying

So to come back from all of the difficulties that she had

getting over that concussion there and to get herself

into the final here, she knows she's in good

shape and I think that will give her the confidence boost

to let the form she's in to come out a bit.

She's been trying a little bit too hard so far this season.

It didn't go the way she wanted early on.

It was pedestrian slow, the first 250m and then she took it

on and she wound it up from there and turned it

Laura Muir, as I say, the new British record holder.

Steve Cram congratulations on the other Laura and

How will she want this 1,500 metre race to be run?

She is in the enviable position of not really

If it goes out hard she can cope with that.

Her coach, Andy Young have done a great job.

The two of them have got her in fantastic shape.

You see how she runs aggressively and attacks in races.

As you saw with Laura, Seyaum, the two Ethiopians, this one again,

this is an event women's 1,500 metre full of talent including

Laura Muir can absolutely qualify here.

She said, "I won't take anything for granted.

There is the medallist of 2013 Jenny Simpson of the USA.

Around about 25.6 if you are not in the top five here.

A troubled season for her that began so well.

injury problems and her coach caught up in a controversy -

his own controversy of his own making.

The squad he looks after in Spain at the time that is where Dibaba

She did run 3.599 in shoes because foot problems have

caused her not to be able to wear spikes early on.

She had real hamstring problems and after winning the world title

she said she was in great shape and looking forward to Rio.

She had ten weeks out not being able to run.

She could do cross training and then started to do normal running.

She's really only been doing track work for six or seven weeks.

She has got into good shape pretty quickly.

You are looking at Hassan and Dibaba.

Both we know what outstanding athletes they are.

World-record holder and world champion.

Like any athlete, you have got to transgress through

They are both here with difficulty, but let's see what happens.

Jenny Simpson, former world champion, and in front of the them,

It has gone perfectly well for Laura.

Breaking Kelly's record was a huge boost psychologically

and physically, but to do that at the Anniversary Games

was a wonderful performance and the confidence she's got these days.

You can see the confidence oozing from Laura Muir from the position

Her coach, Andy, will be nervously watching this.

He's not the best spectator, as many of us aren't.

I don't think he will have too much to worry about here.

Being in the second semifinal I am curious as to why

Jenny Simpson feels as though she wants to take this out.

She's got good pace, Jenny Simpson, and she's decided

Maybe she's thinking, a bit like Laura Weightman,

let's make it steady and get it in the right zone.

"If I do mess up, I have got a chance."

There is Laura Muir deciding she wants to be competitive there.

Two minutes there and two laps to go in the women's 1,500

Laura Muir has been outstanding this year.

All year she's been threatening, promising.

This is the arena she wants to be in.

She is in the right place, perfectly poised

She is prepared to be a brave runner and maybe she will run

bravely here to show how good she is.

She is doing it convincingly and comfortably.

She is not trying to break away from them.

I don't know if she needs to do that today, but she looks good tonight.

Dibaba just moving up a little bit in the green vest and red shorts.

The Polish athlete who won the European title,

It will be a big burn on the last lap.

They are already opening up a gap here.

Both of them have been great athletes in the past.

Look at Laura Muir matching them down the back straight.

She looks equally classy as those two athletes -

we know how good they are - but she could be the

She is running powerfully around the bend.

She might want to show them she can stay with them,

Hassan and Dibaba are having their own battle.

She can stride down and it looks like she's got this well in control.

Jenny Simpson moves clear into fourth place.

That is probably the result we would have expected.

A big kick from the big three, if you like.

For me before this, there were four people

Laura Muir has done nothing there to suggest

I tell you what, you have got the world-record holder and world

champion Dibaba and Hassan the world indoor champion and Laura Muir,

she's absolutely in the same class as those two.

She is matching them stride for stride.

They ran 57.5 for the last lap and I tell you she's

When you look at the way she is running, she is completely

world-class and I can't wait for the final.

I think Laura Muir is going to be a sensation in that final.

Don't take it that the two that beat her today will

Dibaba is straining, Hassan is straining and Laura Muir,

for me, the temperature is rising, the confidence is rising.

Her commitment has been seen before, but today that was a step

in to real world-class by Laura Muir and I'll tell

Laura has done a great job and the final is just going to be

a fantastic opportunity for Laura Muir to move to the very,

That was a tremendous performance, Laura.

You are through to the Olympic final.

I just knew to stay out of trouble basically and come

through and I didn't want to give up that spot.

I wanted to save everything for the final.

We saw the three big medal favourites, yourself included there.

Were you trying to make a point you could live with those girls?

I just wanted to qualify comfortably.

There is no point using all my energy in the semi.

It shows what sort of shape you are in and have been all year

you are rubbing shoulders with these kind of people and come finals time,

all of the talk of medals is not foolish.

Anything can happen with the Olympic final.

I know I have done as much as I can to get there and saved

So Dibaba, Hassan, Laura Muir, Jenny Simpson and Bahta

That is probably the result we expected.

Not any of the big names becoming a casualty in either

We can look at the qualifiers for the final and the good news

for Great Britain is that both Lauras are through to the final.

The two fastest winners will, indeed, come from the first

There were bigger gaps in that semifinal.

Here are all of the names, certainly five or six

who will consider themselves in with a good chance.

Laura Weightman off to get a couple of stitches in that injury.

Arafi as well goes through as fastest losers.

Great support for this triple jump final because of the two athletes

The two countries of course are bordering Brazil

on the northern coast, south of the Caribbean Sea.

The young Rojas looking to stop the silver medallist.

To their left at the top of the stadium, Chris Baker

Slightest of wobbles, but Baker goes clear

He will need 2.31 to be auto qualifying,

It is taking forever this high jump competition.

It has been on for over an hour already.

So Laura Weightman and Laura Muir through to the 1,500

Laura Muir the British record holder showing she can hack

Paula, you were saying she didn't need

That is just Dibaba trying to throw down the challenge.

I was glad to see Laura look up at the screen finally.

I would have liked her to do that down the back straight

Jenny Simpson isn't in as good shape as Laura Muir, but she looked up

that screen and knew she was clear and conserved a bit of energy.

At the Anniversary Games, we know she's in fantastic form.

She is clearly not afraid of anybody in that field.

Is there a type of race that will suit her or will she go

with whatever they throw down at her?

Is she genuinely going to with whatever they

When you take a step forward and beat a British record that

stands to Kelly Holmes, you are coming set up.

She knows whichever way the race goes she can handle it.

Mentally, she's much, much stronger than the athlete

we saw going out frustrated indoors or even falling?

She's really moved on from that and she believes she can beat these

Even a year on from the Commonwealth Games,

she was basically the first athlete after the African runners.

She beat the Americans in Beijing which was a big psychologically

I think when an athlete is in straight and can run

a race any which way, and she has proved that,

she takes her time and decides her tactics and how she can respond.

I have loved watching her grow over the last few years and I think

there is a sneaky chance, isn't there, it is tough.

She's got Dibaba in there and Hassan, OK who had an injury,

It will be tough, but she can mix it with them and we saw

She didn't put it all out there tonight.

I can't believe we are only half an hour away from Usain Bolt

entering the arena once more for the blue riband event,

You can see that as this stadium is packed.

There are a few seats up the top there spare.

Obviously some people have to go to work in the morning.

They really have become very vocal this crowd, haven't they,

They understand the Jamaican brand as well.

We have seen that from the other Jamaican athletes.

This is as full as it has been and it is good to see that

and we will expect to hear that roar again when Usain Bolt comes out this

Before that we have the men's 400 metre final, Michael.

That promises to be as equally exciting and was possibly the most

exciting moment of last year's World Championship.

The similar protagonists are on the podium and we expect them

LaShawn Merritt was Olympic champion but then had

Where do you see him fitting into this narrative tonight?

I think many people might see him as the favourite because he's got

the fastest time in the 400 metres this year and he has the fastest

He ran 19.74 in the semifinals of the US championships

I meant Kirani James when I say Olympic champion.

After he won in 2012 LaShawn Merritt beat him in the World Championship

in 2013 and then James got it back in 2015 so those guys have been

going back and forth and it is a true rivalry.

The advantage that Kirani James has is he is tall and rangey.

Many people don't know that Usain Bolt held the world junior

record and Karani James broke that, I believe, as a 15-year-old.

That is when we first started to see him.

Many of the times we see with stride and rangey.

Many of the times we see with him stride and rangey.

Arms and legs going everywhere and not holding that form

as you would like and being symmetrical coming

People have asked could he back the world record?

If he cleaned up his form it could be possible.

Merritt is more composed and has upper-body strength and holds it

What we saw was impressive, this time in these championships

in the semifinal yesterday I saw Kirani James hold his line.

Maybe that has been worked on this year so that could bode

You see that left foot continuing to come outside of the plain.

Doing something completely different from what the

What that does is flicks you off balance.

energy than that that takes more

when everything is going symmetrical.

We spoke to him a year ago when he came into the studio.

He's done very well to get into this final?

He is a great athlete, a great young man who has started

He had a great semifinal and he was so excited.

What that has done is given him a lot of confidence.

I think he was helped here by the fact he was running

He didn't have to worry about running with anyone else

and whether I respond to the other athletes.

I am sure his coach would have said, Matthew, go out and run

He made a mistake from 100 to 200, but made a great adjustment and that

shows that he has studied the event and figured out how to make

the right adjustments and he put himself in position to come off

with a lot left so he could look at how much he has to make up,

but he has that ability to make that up because he didn't continue

to push from 200 metres to 300 metres around the bend,

He will need to run this race tonight and he's in a

He won't want to be doing this because these guys will not come

They are fatigued and he is able to come through.

LaShawn Merritt, Kirani James, those guys will be

It is fantastic to see when you see an athlete

It is a big opportunity for him to take his career forward.

What a line-up, what a final to come.

Eric Liddle in 1924 won from that lane.

Inside him surrounded by some of the greatest runners

A big personal best, took him not too far

The man inside him has seen the last two grand finals

Can he retain the Olympic title

LaShawn Merritt, the world champion in Moscow three years ago.

Grenada with a population of 200,000 two men.

Grenada with a population of 100,000 - two men in this final.

He anchored Trinidad and Tobago to silver as a 19-year-old.

And he only ran a couple of races in Bulgaria before an extraordinary

And comfortably the youngest in this line-up.

Hacked a huge chunk off his PB in his semifinal.

They came in their thousands to see Usain Bolt later on.

But this race, promises to be one of the very best.

Kirani James looks to the skies and LaShawn Merritt takes his position.

Merritt and James and Van Niekerk in 5, 6 and 8.

Events going on elsewhere, but the ripple will die away.

So LaShawn Merritt will look at the men outside him.

He'll steer them down and hunt them down.

And Kirani James with that loose limb style.

Already, and Van Niekerk on the far extremes,

no-one outside him except for the roar of the crowd.

And LaShawn Merritt, LaShawn Merritt so close

Matthew Hudson-Smith at a long way back with the rest.

But it's these 3 men, 3 abreast, Wayde van Niekerk

Three men and the gold medal waiting for one.

But Wayde van Niekerk is going further clear.

And it's a new world record!

Inside the Olympic Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro,

and Michael Johnson's record has gone!

Olympic gold and the fastest 400m of all time!

And the crowd realise it now and the roar gross.

And Wayde van Niekerk has done something astonishing, incredible.

He left the likes of LaShawn Merritt and Kirani James so far behind.

He beats the best that history had to offer in Michael Johnson,

and that was something, very, very special.

One of the greatest runs you'll ever see.

And I've never seen from 200 to 400, anything like that.

What we want to see, is what his splits were.

He could have well run negative splits, meaning he ran

faster in the second 200 than he ran in the first 200,

which would make this even more amazing.

This guy has gone under 10 second, under 20 seconds.

Under 44 seconds and now a world record.

That was a massacre from Wayde van Niekerk.

I mean, he just put those guys away.

Last year, he was dead at this point.

LaShawn Merritt is shaking his head, going, I can't do anything

That is something that I thought I could do, didn't get a chance

to do it, but this young man has done something

And you were saying, you were saying...

Usain Bolt will be retiring out of this sport soon.

Let's take a look at this and analyse it.

He took a little bit out of Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt

at the very beginning, as you see there.

Now coming into the home stretch, he's got a lead that he is just able

Look at Van Niekerk in comparison to Merritt and James.

He is just pulling away from them at this point.

And I was saying, when I saw him about ten metres from the finish

line, this is a world record, this is a world record.

And sure enough, he breaks that world record.

Maybe he knew based on the way he finished that, so far

ahead of them, maybe he knew that he actually

He said, or he suspected, because, he said, that he had that

I was chatting to Martin Rooney at the training track.

He said, Van Niekerk told me, he is going to run 42 something.

A question back to Michael, he ran 43.03 the lane 8.

Why should we knock him back for 43.03.

At least he is not lying on the ground this time.

I wonder, had he been in another lane, he could have gone faster.

Yeah, being out in lane 8 actually helped him.

He was able to run his race and run the race that he knew he had to run.

Versus become in the middle of the track with Merritt

He would've been responding to them and maybe making as adjustments.

He would've been responding to them and maybe making adjustments.

Out in lane 8, there are no adjustments to make.

You execute the race how you feel you need to do it.

And you produce your fastest time, regardless of what the other

The speed endurance, the ability to hold the speed

that he took off, at the very beginning of the race,

and what we would say, the long way around in lane 8.

Far from a bad run from Matthew Hudson-Smith.

A long way distant behind Wayde van Niekerk, about you that world record

of Michael's goes back to Seville, 1999.

I was privileged enough to be in the stadium that night,

For it to come with a world record, such as that,

And Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt were so far behind.

A gold medal winning run and something extraordinary

It was going to take something extraordinary to break

Wayde van Niekerk, he blew us all away last year in Beijing.

We didn't know he had quite some magic in the locker for tonight.

He is coached by a 74-year-old great grandmother.

She has something pretty impressive going on.

I don't know what drills she is doing.

Congratulations for holding it for so long.

When I walked into the studio in Beijing when Usain Bolt

And I remember you asking me if I was OK.

And I was OK for a few years and I'm still OK.

Being a fan of the sport now, it's incredible to see,

it's incredible to watch and I think I'll be OK tomorrow.

I think I'll wake up again and life will go on.

But he'll wake up tomorrow feeling that, wow, I've done it.

Working on and how do you break the record.

Where can I take off a little time here and there.

Always knowing that your major opportunity to break a world record

is going to come what you're under pressure and it's

He was under tremendous pressure and that helped him as well.

Knowing that LaShawn Merritt, Kirani James, the big

guys, Olympic champions, they were going to put him under

Number one, for him to win for his country, win the gold medal

at the Olympic level, it was going to take a fast time.

When we came into these championships, you know what,

I wonder if this is going to be one of our greatest Olympics.

But that performance for me was incredible.

I was in Seville, I watched Michael run, and there

And we had a record on day one, in the 10,000m.

And this record has stood for a long time.

And we've seen a rich crop of runners come.

This was a generation that could challenge that.

He is going to get under the 43 second.

He goes in always as the guy with the target on his back.

And he is going to want to protect that.

Last year, when we saw all three medallists at the world championship

go under 44 seconds, this is now a crop of athletes that

will create an environment that allows someone to break

And we've seen that with Van Niekerk.

He's grown up and around that environment.

A 74-year-old great grandmother is coaching him.

You've got years left in the business, mate!

That's all I'm going to say about that!

To run under that, you're running 10.5 all the way around.

He wanted to ease the pressure on his hamstrings.

But he can go back to 200 and contest for championships once

Bolt, it's funny you mention him, he's done some training with him,

and even Bolt said, this guy is seriously quick.

It's totally blown this stadium into a fit of hysteria.

And that's before Usain Bolt comes out.

What a starter to what we thought was the main course.

We may see our dinner in reverse tonight.

This was Michael's reaction when Wayde went through

If that was your reaction, you weren't even watching him!

I glanced across and thought, this could be awkward!

Just as a fan of the sport, you want to see this sort of thing.

People ask all the time, how long do you think

That could last another 19 years, 20 years, it could be broken next

You never know when you're going to get one.

Always a joy and a surprise to see a world record broken.

In these championships, that was one that this

To get people sort of going, get this championships really going.

We saw the first day, the 10,000m world record,

we saw a great long jump, and tonight, I said this

You can see on your screen, Jessica Ennis-Hill is out

in the stadium and enjoying this atmosphere as she gets ready

She got very, very close to retaining her Olympic title.

As a coach, you think, could I have done

We have seen a coach do an awesome job with an athlete.

Brianne's husband, Ashton Eaton, the current Olympic

We thought she was going to be the interloper and

And again, her name was there this year.

She had a bit a slow start but came out for the bronze medal.

I enjoyed the 800m, but the man who called most of this

This is a special moment for Jessica Ennis-Hill.

Jessica Ennis-Hill, gold four years ago.

She really gave the Belgian a run for her money.

A silver medal to take home to her son Reggie.

Only Christine Ohuruogu has done the gold and silver.

No-one as ever matched Jessica Ennis-Hill.

A big roar for a wonderful performance.

Five lifetime bests and what a performance

Equalled the best ever in the high jump, 1.98.

She said she came here, just happy to be in the top eight.

But there she is, in the top spot, the young Belgian.

Absolutely brilliant performance and an Olympic gold medal.

And you have to think at 21 years of age, it's just the start

of her journey, and maybe, many, many more titles to come.

And a great performance and a fond farewell from an Olympic

point of view, at least, for Jessica Ennis-Hill.

What a birthday present for young Thiam, who will be

celebrating her birthday in a couple of days' time.

I don't think she would have believed this would be happening

I can't help but look at Jess and wonder what she's thinking.

I think she said to me she is satisfied

She wanted to come to an Olympics and get another medal.

Leading into London, she was first and foremost

an athlete, but after Reggie was born, she was first and fore

If you had to put your money on it, will we see her next in London?

I'm not going to enter that in that direct a fashion.

And would you like to coach her in London?

I think we both have to make decisions.

To see if there's anything she wants to do.

You don't get bored with a two-year-old running around.

It's up to her for making those decisions and search yourself

That's what you call non-committal in terms of an answer.

We thought this was the big show of the night.

The new introductions, introduced in Beijing.

They are coming out one by one into the gladdatoral arena.

They are not coming out in the lanes they're in.

Which is very confusing for commentators.

Second to Justin Gatlin in the American championships.

Having a saunter out here and seeing, which way do I go?

Well, this place is packed to the rafters.

De Grasse, two bronze medals at the world

Just a word on Chijindu Ujah, he missed out by a couple

And a fastest loser, just outside 10 seconds,

everyone else running sub-10 to make it through.

Blake was just outside, actually.

Well, audible boos for Justin Gatlin.

I'm not sure the last time I heard that happen.

Normally, he is reasonably well received.

Certainly the bad boy of last year, probably the team of Russia have

taken that spotlight away from him in 2016.

Vicaut, the European or joint European record holder,

He walks out into this cauldron.

As we look down at the dark of the Rio de Janeiro night.

But it feels as though the action is really just about to get going.

But after Van Niekerk's world record, I'm sure that Usain Bolt

will not want anybody to steal any of his thunder.

When you think back to this man, he only ran his first 200m in 2011.

Six foot five inches at the age of 15.

Maybe he thought he could've been the man.

He asked Glen Mills if he could run the 100, and yep, they said,

He continued to get quicker and continued

That semifinal we saw, the quickest since Beijing in 2008

when he went on the break what was then the world record

in the final and win his first Olympic gold medal.

It's incredible that he's in this moment,

on the precipice of history, about to potentially win a third

Olympic gold and he has time for all of this.

This crowd has really gotten into it.

They are excited after of that world record in the 400m.

Bolt, unprecedented success up to this point.

Darren Campbell asked me earlier if I thought that Bolt

would get nervous about this, as his last Olympics.

And I responded that I think that we'll expect even more.

Because he's the type of person who will approach this

This is my last Olympics, I'm going to really put on a show

When he's healthy, he is basically unbeatable.

The other guys will try to spoil it if they can.

The smart thing for all the other competitors to do

The world indoor champion, Trayvon Bromell.

The South African record holder, 9.89.

The former Olympic champion, more than a decade ago.

Jimmy Vicaut, the European record holder.

Usain Bolt, the defending champion, trying to become the first athlete

to win 3 consecutive medals in the same event.

The African 100m champion, 9.97 this year.

Says he doesn't want to be known as the beast anymore,

but he's still a formidable character and 1 who's coming back.

But can anybody, can anybody stop Bolt?

And Bolt has left a little bit in the blocks.

Listen to the noise in Rio de Janeiro!

And then, Bolt, as ever, gets those legs moving.

The talent recognised at such a young age, still in the legs,

I said last year at the world championships, he may

Well, I thought, many of us thought, coming into these Olympics,

he may have to give it the kiss of life.

But we've had a fantastic night in the stadium.

And Bolt has just added to it in his own inintimable style.

No world records, no superfast times.

Pleasing this whole stadium with the incredible performance.

They wanted to see this man take the victory.

How many times has Gatlin been running up to Usain Bolt?

I think he'll be happy with that performance.

But this whole stadium is ecstatic that this man has taken the victory.

Steve, what do you think is left for him?

Well, he got two more gold medals to win, for sure.

And what I love with him is he is still looks

You could excuse a man who's doing everything, thinking,

I can get myself in the best shape I can.

He lives and breathes competing at a level which nobody else

Winning Olympic titles, gathering them up, as though

Unbelievable and you know, for me, we often say this, Colin, I said it,

I used the words earlier on about privilege to sit and watch.

When it's at its purest, you see a talented young person,

who at the age of 15 was running great times, and the physicality

that this man has, coupled with the attitude, and this

And this is what the sport can still deliver.

We shouldn't forget this is what can be done.

This is what can be achieved and look at the impact it has here,

and look at the impact around the world.

You mention around the world, this man is just a Jamaican.

And making three million people on the island of Jamaica so proud

As a nation, they truly believe they are the fastest.

And I can assure you, once again, here at these championships,

In ancient Greek times, they would put him on man to Olympus.

They would name him the God of Speed or something.

It is difficult to explain to people.

Colin, he does carry the expectations on his

We are sitting here and it is rammed because even sometimes the media,

They all want to come and watch and be here tonight because this

He epitomises it more than anything else.

On and off the track, he is the main man.

As you said, this crowd gets pleased with everything that he does.

Whatever he chooses to do, he has followers.

We are so lucky in this world to have this man

who transcends our sport and pulls in fans that you never ever believe

Every time he steps on that track, he proves it time and time and time

again that he is great for many reasons, but this

Out of the blocks and not as sharp as in the semifinal.

He hauls himself through and he takes that victory with,

I think, what is a very iconically, when he touches his chest,

that kind of says, "All right, guys.

He crosses that line and that little pat on his chest.

You still have some time to take me out."

Do you think at any point Gatlin thought he was going to win this?

You know that he knows what is happening and he ran 9.8

which is what he ran in the American trials.

It would have been even closer than this.

I think now if I am honest he doesn't believe he can beat

There was a time when he thought he could just have it on him

Usain has proved time and time again.

In the warm-up zone, the runners are like peacocks.

They are always showing their wares and this man will be

He will be showing absolutely everything and saying to everybody,

Michael Johnson is upstairs and I am sure you appreciate

That was a fantastic performance by Usain Bolt.

He slowed down and said, "I have got this."

It is only about winning his third consecutive Olympic 100 metre crown

and going out on top, finishing off my 100 metre Olympic

I thought as well that I didn't expect the race to unfold

Bolt, I expected to see a bit of the older Bolt which by 30-40

metres have already caught up and he was down significantly.

Gatlin got a great start but it was always within his reach

because this wasn't the injured Bolt coming in to these

When he is healthy, he can do what ever he needs to do.

He got out of his drive and said, "That wasn't very good.

I can still catch anybody within a metre or two metres of me."

I have to agree with you completely, Steve.

This guy has been amazing for the sport.

When he first came in in 2008 people said all of the antics,

he is not a gracious champion, but I said then, it is authentic.

He loves to entertain and I think that over these last eight years

people have really seen that he is fantastic for the sport.

He loves the fans and he loves the crowd and he loves

He has just been fantastic for the sport, as you said, Steve.

The sport has been through some significant challenges of late,

but Usain Bolt has been an amazing ambassador for this sport,

drawing in fans from around the world and really creating

not only for himself, but a brand for the

Any time one of them comes out into the stadium, the crowds just go

wild and they go crazy for the green and yellow.

He has inspired an amazing amount of young Jamaican

Elaine won the 100m, I am sure inspired by Usain Bolt.

We have seen over the years young Jamaican athletes with a tremendous

amount of talent but never able to get to the championship level

and they had been inspired and motivated by Usain Bolt

and what he has done in this sport and now we have so many

There he is with his iconic pose and the crowd goes wild!

Yes, Michael, while you were talking there, we were watching those

great pictures and selfie with the heptathletes.

But, as you were saying, he can help himself.

I agree wholeheartedly, as I said before, this is his stage.

It is his way of doing it and we are all thankful for it.

The winning time 9.81, Justin Gatlin the silver medallist.

9.89 and Andre De Grasse getting on the rostrum again 9.91,

What an incredible 30 minutes of athletics we have

If you have stayed up for it, well done, you.

This is the last time we will see him at an Olympic Games.

He looks as fresh and motivated and as energetic and as

There is nothing jaded about this man and nothing fake about this man.

CHEERING Listen, I know Steve was worried about him

He got taken out by a segway in Beijing.

He thinks it is safer to walk on the outer ring, Denise,

People have stayed up just solely for this man.

It is almost like ancient Rome, they have been chanting

for the star, the main protagnist, as you call him.

I think she's been so incredible and it has been a privilege just

watching how he's grown through the sport and the people

Being there for his big moments and your girl got

Jessica Ennis-Hill and Kim Brennan managed to collar him

She may be a hero and goddess herself but she is a Usain fan.

The fact that they switched the medal ceremony to today,

The fact she has got a front-row seat.

The crowd should be shouting "four more years".

You seem to be accepting his retirement and saying that Jess

The start from Warren Gatland was impressive, Michael?

He got a great start last year and then made the mistake.

I think that Gatlin knew, though, that this was not going -

it wasn't going to happen when Usain is healthy.

When he is healthy, he is unbeatable.

Gatlin got did the smart thing and went out there to run the best

he could and make sure he got himself a silver medal

and at the end of the day when he looks back at his career

having competed at the same times a Usain Bolt, that is as good

He wasn't ever going to be able to beat Usain Bolt.

I don't think he felt he could ever beat a healthy Usain Bolt.

There were opportunities when Bolt wasn't at his best over the years

He could dance on the stage but never be the prima

He was worried last year, being not as healthy

as we have seen him, maybe he's taken his training more

seriously going through the off season, the winter months,

the preparation of getting himself ready because the margins have got

They are only closer because he hasn't been as healthy.

As he's got older he has had to make adjustments in his training.

He's got a slight scoliosis and he's always had to manage that.

He said he had to manage that much better, he told me a few weeks ago.

That is what happens when you get older as a sprinter,

you stop focusing on how can I push the training today to be better

and faster and you focus on, how can I manage the training better

and get a good training session in but remain healthy?

When that starts to happen, it is not as much fun anymore.

I think he feels, hey, I want to finish it up.

He has said he would go to 2016, maybe 2017, but that would be it.

Because managing that body is so, so tough.

I want to talk to you about his - look at that.

A beautiful moment with Wayde Van Niekerk.

He is giving him the seal of approval.

We have got excited fans outside the studio.

I don't know if they are fans of Toni Minichiello

They will storm the studio soon if we are not careful.

The make-up of Usain Bolt - I have spoken to doctors

and scientists and as far as we can go as human beings and they said

he is perfectly proportions and there is something unique

about his make-up that has allowed him to dominate and,

Steve mentioned it, the constant stream that started as a young kid.

He didn't just burst in to the scene at 22.

When he did come onto the scene initially we saw

He is 6ft 6 inches tall, which ordinarily is not great

for 100m sprinting because the start has become so important

The powerful, quick start out of the blocks.

Once you can get up into your running, that long stride can be

an advantage if you go back to Carl Lewis 6' 3

Those athletes would come through in the end.

Usain Bolt being even taller, you would think he would need 120

What he is able to do that most of his height can't do is he is able

to cycle through from the beginning in such a way that it is almost

like he cycles like he is 5' 9 but he is 6' 6 so he can take

Remember it used to be all over his place.

It never will be the best because of his height.

He doesn't have the give up as much ground over the first 30 metres

as normally someone that height would be.

He takes advantage of the long stride later, but he takes

A big gear is always slower, but he is able to take the big gear

and use it as a big gear when you need the big gear and use

it like a small gear when you need the small gear.

He ask with all of the other athletes except for Warren Gatlin.

Simply it, he is very quick for someone who is very

That is not normal, in terms of the history of the event.

At what point then do you think as a kid, somebody -

coaches presumably know all of that and they see a tall kid

Somebody said, "No, we can make you a 100m runner."

After 2008, we train athletes at Michael Johnson Performance

in all sports, after 2008 we started to get calls from people

saying, "I got a 6ft 6 inch sprinter."

Just because you are 6ft 6 doesn't mean you can sprint like Usain Bolt.

He's in a unique position and a unique individual and those

people come along every now and then and there will be another one

who will be unique in a different sort of way that calls into question

what all of the historians of athletics and historians of sport

thought they knew and then we have to start all over again

The next 6ft 6 sprinter hasn't yet emerged.

Shall we take a trip down memory lane, Denise,

This is his third Olympic gold medal.

Let's relive the great man in Beijing in 2008.

Bolt not very quickly out of the blocks.

Bolt is getting into his stride alongside Gatlin.

Usain Bolt is pulling away and he will win the gold.

Gatlin gets away well and Bolt left a little bit in the blocks.

Gatlin is charging, but here comes Usain Bolt

How do you even begin to put a night like tonight into words?

The crowd chanting your name, a gold medal, another piece of history.

I expected to go faster, but I think the time

As soon as we got in I had to come back out so I think that is why

I am happy I won and that is the key thing.

Justin Gatlin coming out being booed.

We don't normally hear that, and euphoric cheers for you.

It is the first time I have ever heard boosting.

It was shocking for me, but I didn't care about it.

You don't get nervous for the 100 but more for the 200.

After the semifinals I felt extremely good.

As I said, I wanted to run faster, the turnaround time they gave us.

We didn't get any time to rest and get our feet up

This is why it is challenging but this is what we train for.

I know that London means a lot to you and Britain

His media commitments will go on and on and on.

He will be probably interviewed well into tomorrow's breakfast.

Steve Cram said it in commentary, the magnificent seven and, wow.

You can add a load more from World Championships.

It would be some feat, Denise, and probably never

Is it possible that someone can sound even more confident?

We have heard him talk before, but this year it has been staggering

how you just believe that he's going to get that triple.

I have no doubt that he is going to achieve it.

Anybody's challenging him in the 200 for you?

That would be the biggest challenge, the 100m.

In the 200m, no-one can run with him.

LaShawn Merritt has a very fast time 19.74, but I don't think that

That will have given him a lot more confidence as well.

He ran 19.89 at the Anniversary Games.

He was ragged at that point and admittedly so after coming off

Maybe even 19.4 and no-one else in this field can run that fast.

It is a few days in but it feels like a very special athletics meet

within these Olympic Games and feels like an end of an era for many

people because with Bolt, end of an Olympic era for Jess.

The pumpkin is going to turn into the vintage car.

The vintage car was turning into the pumpkin.

That sounds much better this does feel very, very nostalgic

I think 2016, as we are seeing as we go through the calendar,

We are going to see some changes here.

There are now, we have seen from the men's 400 metres,

we are starting to see new people emerge.

New personalities and the public will get interested in those

LaShawn Merritt will stare them down and hunt them down.

Kirani James with that loose-limbed style carrying up to

No-one outside except for the roar of the crowd.

LaShawn Merritt so close to Kirani James already.

Matthew Hudson-Smith a long way back with the rest.

Three men and the gold medal is waiting for one, but Van Niekerk

Van Niekerk takes it and it is a new world record!

Extraordinary, inside the Olympic Stadium

Olympic gold and the fastest 400 metres of all time.

It is ironic that I sat next to you when your 200 metre record

For all of the cynicism, when it comes to mass

doping and institutionalised doping and we have got other issues

going on in the sport and one we will talk about this week,