History no comfort for shattered Felix
A tearful Allyson Felix extended her record as the most decorated US track athlete of all time but her 20th medal in major championships could not ease the pain of a shattering defeat.
The 30-year-old from California was left distraught after a last-gasp lunge by Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas denied her gold in a thrilling women's 400m final.
Felix, who had battled back from injury to make the US team for Rio, said her record haul of medals at the Olympics and world championships was little consolation for the loss.
USA's Allyson Felix was left distraught after a last-gasp lunge by Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas denied her gold in a thrilling women's 400m final at the Rio Games ©Adrian Dennis (AFP)
"Hopefully that's an accomplishment I'll be able to look back on and take it all in," Felix said.
"But tonight the goal was to win. And it hurts right now. I'll just have to get through this moment and look back on that."
Felix, the reigning world 400m champion, had been close to tears as she spoke with reporters after the race in what may be her fourth and final Olympics.
"I'm disappointed. It's been a tough year and I was kind of hoping it would come together," she said.
"I didn't think about lunging myself. I tried to give it all I have but I didn't have any more to give in the last 10 metres."
Felix said she had not known who won after crossing the line with Miller sprawled beside her.
"You never are when it's that close," she said. "It is always hard after a 400 and I was physically and emotionally drained. I was just thinking 'disappointment'. I just really wanted it."
Felix, who could still add to her medal tally in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, would not be drawn on whether she could return for a fifth Olympics in Tokyo.
"I don't know," she said. "I'm just going to try and get through this Olympics first. But I'm not sure."
Diving for gold ©John SAEKI (AFP)
