Felix, Merritt help bring US medal total to 31 in track

Felix, Merritt help bring US medal total to 31 in track

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Allyson Felix and LaShawn Merritt are savvy track stars who've been around long enough to know that not everything always goes to plan.

Over the final 30 minutes of Saturday's topsy-turvy night at the Olympic track, both Americans came away with prizes they'd been wishing for all along.

"People are at home watching — watching 2012, watching 2008," said Felix, 30, who wrapped up her fourth Olympics and now has nine total medals.

[...] when they get their opportunity, they're seizing the moment.

A review ensued, Chelimo was reinstated to his original silver medal and Lagat was dropped to fifth — a bummer for the elder statesman of the U.S. track team, but some sort of sign for the team:

Mo Farah, Chelimo and Hagos Gebrhiwet marched to the podium to receive their medals nearly an hour after the evening's final race, in front of only a few thousand stragglers in the stands.

Felix spent a lot of the week saying the same thing — and not in a good way.

The wins gave her gold medals No. 5 and 6 — a record for a woman on the Olympic track.

"The toughest, without a doubt," Felix said of her 2016.

[...] Bolt was long gone — having stopped by the track quickly to receive gold medal No. 9 and take a selfie with Farah — and South Africa had left the building, too.

High jumpers Chaunte Lowe, a mother of three who finally felt ready for her Olympic moment, and Vashti Cunningham, daughter of former NFL quarterback Randall, finished fourth and 13th in a contest taken by Ruth Beitia of Spain.