- Elaine Thompson added the 200 metre gold to her 100m title, beating world champion Dafne Schippers across the line.
- Usain Bolt coasted into the final of the 200m, but rival Justin Gatlin will not be there after the American finished third in his heat.
- Two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi announced his retirement after finishing third in the 3000 metre steeplechase, but bronze went to Mahiedine Mekhissi after the Kenyan was disqualified.
- Kaori Icho made history by becoming the first woman to win an individual gold at four straight Olympics with her triumph in the 58 kilogram wrestling category.
- The United States completed a clean sweep of the medals in the 100m hurdles, with Brianna Rollins leading Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin across the line.
- No one has defended the Olympic decathlon title since Daley Thompson in 1984, but Ashton Eaton is on course to do so having opened up a 121-point advantage on day one of the event.
- Brazil reached the final of the men's football, Neymar leading them to a 6-0 win over Honduras with the fastest goal in Olympic history at 15 seconds.
QUOTES OF THE DAY
"With two back surgeries, to come back having thought she'd never play again, to be here in an Olympic final - I think it's just the most amazing story and I'm just so proud of her," – Great Britain reached the final of the women's hockey for the first time, and Kate Richardson-Walsh praised partner Helen's resilience after a goalscoring performance.
"It's a showman's sport. I think the rivalry that I have with Usain, it's turned it into a professional wrestling feel. Everyone's cheering for Usain, but they have someone they have to boo against," – Gatlin accepts he is the villain in his sprint rivalry with reigning 100m and 200m champion Bolt.
"My school motto was 'let the light shine' and I let my light shine tonight," – After claiming her second sprint title of Rio 2016, Thompson went back to her roots.
"I feel really well and I've gotten a lot of support from other athletes. I missed the last week and a half of training so I could've done a lot better than I did," – Having been granted permission to compete at Rio 2016 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Russian long jumper Darya Klishina felt she did not show her best.
"Neymar is a monster. He has a gift of playing football and delights everybody with his talent," – A double from Neymar drew glowing praise from coach Rogerio Micale.
"She turned into a beast, a beast of them all. She was a hunter out there and that's what we want to be," – After becoming the most decorated beach volleyball Olympian with a fourth medal, Kerri Walsh Jennings lauded team-mate April Ross.
UNSUNG HERO
India claimed their first medal of Rio 2016 on Wednesday, and it was also their first in women's wrestling.
Sakshi Malik overcame Aisuluu Tynybekova 3-1 to claim bronze in the freestyle 58 kilogram category and get India off the mark.
Malik hopes her display can provide inspiration to girls in her home nation, saying: "I want to say that girls can also do a lot if you give them confidence."
Sakshi Malik wins first medal at for ! August 17, 2016
MEDAL WATCH
It was another good day for USA, who claimed a total of nine medals – two of them gold, while Japan moved up the ranking with a trio of golds in the women's freestyle wrestling. Luisito Pie got Dominican Republic on the board with bronze in the men's under 58kg taekwondo and Indonesian duo Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir secured their nation's first gold in the badminton mixed doubles.
COMING UP - Bolt eyes another gold
Bolt will be looking to secure the second leg of his triple-triple in the men's 200m final, while Eaton is on course to defend his decathlon title. The men's triathlon takes place and sailing action concludes.
AND FINALLY…
Yulia Timoshinina did not have quite the debut Olympic campaign she would have wanted.
The 18-year-old Russian was the lowest scorer in the women's 10m platform preliminary.
Timoshinina landed flat on her face and scored just 14.00 in the second round, missing out on qualification for the final by over 80 points.
That one will sting for a while.
