RIO DE JANEIRO — China's Chen Long stepped out of compatriot Lin Dan's shadow to spoil Lee Chong Wei's hopes of a golden Olympic swansong and win the men's badminton title Saturday.
The Malaysian's conqueror at successive world championship finals in 2014-15, the rangy Chinese was majestic in the 21-18, 21-18 title-decider, soaking up fierce pressure and smashing through Lee's defenses at a heaving Riocentro.
In a career dominated by near-misses, Lee lost his third successive final after being beaten by Chinese great Lin for the gold in Beijing and London.
Viktor Axelsen celebrated Denmark's second medal of the tournament by edging twice champion Lin 15-21, 21-10 21-17 in the playoff for bronze, denying the Chinese great a medal in his Olympic swansong.
American Gwen Jorgensen produced her trademark strong closing run to win the women's triathlon gold.
Jorgensen, who won 12 World Triathlon Series races on the trot in 2014 and 2015 — including two world championship crowns — crossed the finish line at Copacabana beach in 1hr 56min 16sec.
Switzerland's Nicola Spirig Hug won silver and bronze went to Vicky Holland of Great Britain.
The first woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal became the first to repeat the feat Saturday when Britain's Nicola Adams retained her flyweight title by beating France's Sarah Ourahmoune.
Adams, 33, became the first British boxer to win two successive golds since London policeman Harry Mallin won the middleweight division at the 1920 Antwerp and 1924 Paris Games.
Ourahmoune's silver was France's fifth medal of the tournament.
Ren Cancan of China, the 2012 silver medalist, and Colombia's Ingrit Valencia Victoria took bronze as losing semifinalists.
Cuba's Robeisy Ramirez clinched a second Olympic title as he defeated a Floyd Mayweather protege to win bantamweight boxing gold.
The American Shakur Stevenson, who will turn professional with Mayweather after the Games, was left distraught and in tears after he suffered a split-points decision loss to Ramirez, who won flyweight gold at London 2012.
