Canberk Yüksel
August 16, 2016•Update: August 16, 2016
NEW YORK
Simone Biles, considered unbeatable in Rio, was stopped by a slip-up from winning her fourth gold on Day 10 of the Olympic Games.
The strong American favorite had already won gold in the team and all-around events. But a slight slip on the beam helped secure gold for Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands. Lauren Hernandez of the U.S. won silver as Biles still managed to medal, earning enough points to take bronze.
Turkish heavyweight Riza Kayaalp was defeated 6-0 by rival Mijain Lopez of Cuba in the Greco-Roman event, securing his country’s second silver in Rio. Kayaalp had beaten the Cuban legend at the 2015 world championships.
Lopez becomes just the third athlete with three Olympic gold medals in the event -- along with legendary Russian Aleksandr Karelin and Carl Westergren of Sweden.
David Rudisha of Kenya won his second straight gold medal in the men’s 800m in a time of 1 minute, 42:15 seconds. He was followed by Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria who took silver as American Clayton Murphy became the bronze medalist.
American Allyson Felix was denied a fifth gold medal when Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas dived at the finish line to take gold in the women’s 400m in 49.44. Felix was a close second in 49.51. Shericka Jackson of Jamaica settled for bronze.
Ruth Jebet of Bahrain won gold in the steeplechase with the second fastest time ever recorded of 8 minutes, 59.75.
The Kenya-born Jebet holds two of the fastest three times ever in the event.
The silver went to world title-holder Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya and the bronze claimed by Emma Coburn is the first Olympic medal a U.S. woman has claimed in the sport.
Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk won the hammer throw with two of the best ever, setting a new world record of 82.29 meters (270 feet). Zhang Wenxiu of China took silver followed by Sophie Hitchon of Great Britain with bronze.
Muhammad Ali of the U.S. won gold at the 1960 Rome Games. OK, he didn’t change his name until 1964, but the 20-year-old British flyweight carrying the famous name and obviously an immense load, couldn’t live up to the pressure. Ali, who is a top-ranked amateur, lost all three rounds on all three judges’ scorecards in his debut bout against Yoel Finol of Venezuela. The crestfallen fighter said he “just tried too hard, and nothing was working.”
Five-time world champion and 2012 London gold medalist Katie Taylor of Ireland was defeated by Mira Potkonen of Finland in a split decision in her quarterfinal bout.
The Atlantic Ocean was the site of the women’s 10-kilometer (6-mile) swim as Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands won the top prize in one hour, 56 minutes, 32 seconds. Rachele Bruni of Italy was second and Brazil's Poliana Okimoto claimed the bronze.
Park Sang-hoon of South Korea was taken off on a stretcher from the velodrome after British cyclist Mark Cavendish crashed into him during the last race of the six-discipline omnium competition. Italy’s Elia Viviani won gold in the event. Cavendish took silver, and Norman Lasse Hansen of Denmark won bronze.
Seven people sustained minor injuries at Olympic Park when a television camera used to provide aerial views of the area fell about 60 feet to the ground. The Olympic Broadcasting Service that operates the camera said two guide ropes snapped but the company is investigating.
And on a sad note, German’s canoe slalom coach Stefan Henze died Monday after sustaining injures during a car accident last week. The 35-year-old, who won a silver medal in the event at the 2004 Games in Athens, underwent surgery after the crash Friday. German flags will be flown at half-staff at all Olympic sites in Rio.
