The USA women's team broke a 27-year-old world record as they won Olympic gold in the 4x100m relay.
East Germany's sprint relay record from 1985 is finally eclipsed
The USA women's team broke a 27-year-old world record as they won Olympic gold in the 4x100m relay on Friday night.
The American quartet of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter clocked 40.82 seconds to smash the previous best, set by East Germany in 1985, by nearly half a second.
They also shattered the best-ever Olympic time which had stood for 32 years.
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce - the individual 100m champion - Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown Kerron Stewart took the silver in a national record of 41.41 while Ukraine took the bronze.
It was a measure for revenge for the USA, who have seen Jamaica once again dominate the sprints, last night completing a clean sweep in the men's 200m.
Jeter said: "I knew we had won. Everyone ran an incredible leg. We were able to get the stick around and we were able to get the gold medal and the world record, I knew that right away.
"I knew we were moving, I knew we were running very well and so I was excited."
Felix, who won the 200m, said: "It is a relief, it is a joy, it is everything.
"We went into this race the most comfortable I have seen this team. We were laughing and smiling. We have never been like that."
Magic Meseret
Ethiopia's Meseret Defar claimed gold in the 5,000m final, denying her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba the chance to add another title to the 10,000m crown she won a week ago, having taken gold in both events in Beijing.
Defar, who won 5,000m gold eight years ago in Athens, held off her
challengers down the home straight to win in 15:04.25.
Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot was second with Dibaba getting the bronze.
Defar said: "I'm very happy. It's a great day for me. Since 2008 I have tried everything as I wasn't able to win the Olympics."
Turkish delight
There was a controversial winner of the 1500m as former drug cheat Asli Cakir Alptekin of Turkey took gold, winning a slow race in 4:10.23.
Alptekin, who has served a two-year ban, finished ahead of compatriot
Gamze Bulut, with Bahrain's Maryam Yusuf Jamal third.
There was more agony for American Morgan Uceny as she fell for the second major final in succession, having also hit the track at last year's World Championships in Daegu when she was one of the favourites.
Hammer record
Russia's Tatyana Lysenko has won gold in the women's hammer in an Olympic record of 78.18m.
She led all the way through the competition, having thrown 77.56m with her first attempt, before going even further with her penultimate effort.
Poland's Anita Wlodarczyk took the silver with a final throw of 77.60m, but there was controversy surrounding the bronze.
It was initially given to China's Zhang Wenxiu only to be handed to Germany's Betty Heidler, whose fifth throw of 77.13 had been measured incorrectly by officials.
French fancy
France's Renaud Lavillenie took gold in a thrilling pole vault final in an Olympic record 5.97m.
Lavillenie looked set for bronze when he failed his first attempt at 5.91m, but passed the height before making his second and final attempt at the next one.
Germany's Bjorn Otto was second with 5.91m, ahead of fellow countryman Raphael Holzdeppe on countback.
"I can't really believe it," the Frenchman said. "Maybe tomorrow I will wake up and realise that I am an Olympic champion.
"The Germans were very strong and they pushed me to my limits. This has to be the best thing in my life."
