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Best moments of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Sir Brad, Bolt, the brilliant Brownlees and more

Laura Trott, Nicola Adams, Usain Bolt, Alistair Brownlee, Jason Kenny, Rio 2016, Olympic Games

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games produced some thrilling sporting action over the past two weeks.

As well as plenty of British success, there have also been a flurry of world records and historic achievements.

Here, we pick out 12 of the best moments of Rio 2016…

Van Niekerk eclipses Johnson

Wayde van Niekerk breaks the world record in the 400m
Image: Wayde van Niekerk produced a sensational run in the 400m final

Wayde van Niekerk's astonishing victory in the men's 400m was arguably the moment of Rio 2016.

Not only did he demolish a high-pedigree field containing LaShawn Merritt and Kirani James, but his time of 43.03 seconds also smashed Michael Johnson's 17-year-old world record by 0.15 seconds.

Van Niekerk went into the event as the reigning world champion, but a slow run in the semi-final left him marooned out in lane eight for the final and victory, let alone a world record, looked a tall order.

What followed, however, was one of the greatest runs of all time, a match for Usain Bolt's 100m at Beijing 2008 and David Rudisha's 800m at London 2012.

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Trott and Kenny dominate

Jason Kenny, Laura Trott, Rio 2016, Olympic Games
Image: Jason Kenny and Laura Trott celebrate winning five gold medals between them

Jason Kenny went into the final day of the track cycling programme looking for his third gold medal of Rio 2016, while fiancée Laura Trott was bidding for her second.

Trott was first up and duly completed a dominant victory in the omnium, and less than an hour later, Kenny followed suit by winning the keirin.

The pair celebrated on the track together, Kenny having joined Sir Chris Hoy as Britain's only six-time Olympic champions and Trott having established herself as Britain's most successful female Olympian of all time.

Bolt's treble treble

Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates after anchoring his 4 x 100m relay team to gold
Image: Bolt once again dominated the sprints

When Japan started the last leg of the men's 4x100m slightly ahead of favourites and defending champions Jamaica, it briefly looked like Bolt's bid to complete the triple triple of Olympic sprint events would be scuppered at the last.

But then, anchoring Jamaica, the greatest athlete of all time turned on the afterburners for what is almost certain to be the final time at an Olympic Games and seared past Japan's Aska Cambridge to seal his ninth gold medal and write another piece of sporting history.

Brownlee one-two

Alistair Brownlee, Jonny Brownlee, Rio 2016, Olympic Games
Image: Alistair (right) and Jonny Brownlee celebrate after winning triathlon gold and silver

Alistair and Jonny Brownlee's domination of the men's triathlon may not have made for a thrill-a-minute race, but the sight of two brothers battling for gold will live long in the memory.

In the end it was Alistair who prevailed, dropping Jonny on the run after sensing weakness when his younger sibling had suggested they could "relax".

It was the first time since 1960 that two brothers had finished first and second in an Olympic event.

Whitlock's quick-fire double

Great Britain's Max Whitlock celebrates winning gold on the Pommel Horse on the ninth day of the Rio Olympics Games, Brazil
Image: Max Whitlock won two gold medals in just over an hour

Great Britain had never won an Olympic gymnastics gold medal prior to Rio 2016, but then Max Whitlock delivered two within the space of an unforgettable 75 minutes.

The 23-year-old first won the gold on the floor, and after collecting his medal, he returned to repeat the feat on the pommel horse by beating compatriot Louis Smith into silver.

Murray edges battle with Del Potro

Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro congratulates Britain's Andy Murray on winning the men's singles gold medal tennis match at the Olympic Tennis Centre of
Image: Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro embrace after the men's single final

Andy Murray blew Roger Federer away in straight sets to win the London 2012 men's single title and although a second gold medal followed in Rio, his win over Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro was very different.

This time Murray had to go to war to win gold, edging out Del Potro in four fiercely-contested sets, before sharing a lengthy embrace with his exhausted opponent at the finish.

Ayana obliterates record

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 12:  Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia celebrates winning the Women's 10,000 Meters Final and setting a new world record of 29:17.45
Image: Almaz Ayana set a stunning 10,000m world record

The opening morning of athletics looked low key on paper, but it ended up making global headlines thanks to a remarkable performance from Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana in the women's 10,000m.

The 24-year-old not only demolished the field to win gold, but she also obliterated the 23-year-old world record by a massive 14 seconds with a time of 29min 17.45sec.

To put the run into further context, the great Tirunesh Dibaba, who was the defending champion, ran a personal best but still finished a massive 25 seconds down on the rampant Ayana.

Wiggins bows out on top

Sir Bradley Wiggins, Rio 2016, Olympic Games
Image: Sir Bradley Wiggins won his fifth Olympic gold medal

Sir Bradley Wiggins became Britain's most decorated Olympian in history by winning his fifth gold and eighth medal in total in the team pursuit in Rio.

And it wasn't just a routine victory. Britain were 0.695 seconds down on Australia after 2km of the 4km distance, but while their opponents faded in the latter half, Wiggins and his team-mates maintained their pace and claimed gold in world-record time.

Wiggins celebrated the victory by sticking his tongue out on the podium during God Save The Queen and will now wind down his career ahead of retirement in November.

Neymar seals home gold

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 20:  Neymar of Brazil celebrates scoring the winning penalty in the penalty shoot out during the Men's Football Final betwe
Image: Neymar celebrates his gold medal-winning penalty

Having had their home World Cup campaign ended with a humbling and embarrassing 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-final two years ago, Brazil were given the chance to gain revenge when they faced the same opponents in the Olympic final.

The game finished 1-1 after extra-time and the two sides were still level at 4-4 after four penalties, but when Germany's Nils Petersen then missed, it opened the door for Neymar to seal gold and the stand-out star of Brazilian football duly did so.

Neymar collapsed in tears as a packed Maracana erupted in celebration.

Farah's double double

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 20:  Mohamed Farah of Great Britain reacts after winning gold in front of Paul Kipkemoi Chelimo of the United States in the
Image: Mo Farah won both the 5,000m and 10,000m for the second Games in a row

Having won the 5,000m and 10,000m at London 2012 and already defended his 10,000m title in Rio, Mo Farah gave himself the opportunity to become only the second man in history to win both events in consecutive Olympics.

Farah led the field going into the last lap and although the United States' Paul Kipkemoi Chelimo pushed hard in the final 200m, the Briton held him off to emulate Lasse Viren's 1972 and 1976 double double.

Adams defends title

Nicola Adams sheds a tear on the podium after receiving her gold medal in Rio
Image: Nicola Adams made female boxing history in Rio

Having won boxing gold at London 2012, Nicola Adams made history in Rio by becoming the first woman to retain her Olympic title.

The 33-year-old comfortably defeated France's Sarah Ourahmoune in the final, winning three of the four rounds in another supreme performance.

Cancellara's swansong masterpiece

Fabian Cancellara, Rio 2016, Olympic Games
Image: Fabian Cancellara produced a vintage performance in the time trial

Fabian Cancellara won the men's Olympic time trial in 2008, but now aged 35 and with retirement looming at the end of the season, a repeat looked unlikely in Rio.

The Swiss cycling legend, however, produced one of the finest time-trial performances of an already illustrious career to sweep aside pre-race favourites Tom Dumoulin and Chris Froome by margins of 47 seconds and 1min 2sec respectively.

It was a masterclass from the old man of the field.

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