TOKYO — Over nine days at the near-empty Olympic Stadium, the women of track and field delivered a memorable show.
Some of the athletes who defined Olympic track in Tokyo were Allyson Felix, Sydney McLaughlin, Sifan Hassan, Raven Saunders and Elaine Thompson-Herah.
The sport needed a good boost after a year-long delay and with the absence of Usain Bolt.
The women delivered.
Not with the feel-good vibe Bolt provided, but with inspiring performances and messages that showed the heart of their sport was still beating strong.
Some highlights included McLaughlin's world-record hurdles run, Hassan's three medals in the three longest races and Thompson-Herah's return from injury to win golds in the marquee sprints.