RIO DE JANEIRO — American women closed a strong Olympics performance in track and field, as Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Phyllis Francis and Allyson Felix cruised to victory in the 4×400-meter relay.Â
It’s the sixth consecutive gold medal for the USA in this event.
It’s the ninth total medal, and sixth gold (five in relays), for Felix, the most decorated U.S. female track and field Olympian and tied with Merlene Ottey for most overall.
“This one wasn’t an individual medal, and the great thing is I get to share it with these great friends,” Felix said. “I am so blessed.
“Track and field is such a big part of my life. In track and field, there are always bumps in the road and each one of us had a unique journey to get here, but we pushed through.”
Felix got the baton with a slight lead on Jamaica, but stretched it to about 10Â meters in the final straight to finish in 3:20.04.
Jamaica took silver, and Great Britain bronze.
 RIO DE JANEIRO — LaShawn Merritt anchored the USA to victory in the men’s 4×400-meter relay on Saturday at Olympic Stadium, four years after Bahamas came from behind to knock the Americans down to silver.
 Arman Hall, Tony McQuay, Gil Roberts and Merritt returned the Olympic title to American hands. Merritt split 43.9 as the USA finished 2:57.30. Jamaica was second in 2:58.16, and Bahamas was third in 2:58.49
Before the 2012 Games, the USA had won the previous two gold medals, and six of seven.
Merritt, who was injured in London in 2012 and was not part of that team, adds the relay gold to the bronze he won in the open 400.
The dominant U.S. women’s basketball team did what was expected, winning a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal and doing it in impressive fashion. In yet another rout, the U.S. dismantled Spain 101-72 on Saturday.
The U.S., which beat Spain by 40 in a preliminary round game, got off to a slow start and only led 21-17 after the first quarter. The Americans were up 27-24 in the second quarter before getting going.
The UConn coach put his five former Huskie players on the court at the same time for the first time in the Olympics and that group started the 16-3 run that blew it open. Breanna Stewart got the spurt started with two free throws. Taurasi then hit consecutive 3-pointers — her first points of the game — as the Americans scored 10 straight.
Spain never threatened in the second half. Auriemma started the fourth quarter with Bird, Taurasi and Catchings on the court and the game in hand. The three four-time Olympians have had a tremendous impact on USA Basketball over the past 12 years. He took the trio out together for one final time with 5:44 left in the game.
No American team has been deeper with Catchings as its 12th player. They trailed for just over 11 minutes in the entire Olympics and the biggest deficit was just four points — 6-2 to France. They never were down after the first quarter and with the exception of the semifinal win over France all the games were pretty much after 20 minutes.
