Usain Bolt

While Rio 2016 endured more than its fair share of problems, the Games produced some iconic moments of sporting greatness that will live long in the memory.

From Neymar's penalty that lifted a nation, to Usain Bolt's 'treble treble' and Michael Phelps' 23rd gold, here we bring you 10 standout highlights.

Had Bolt come along as an athlete four decades earlier, though, we wouldn’t have seen him in Rio at all.

This has been the Olympics of Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps in what likely will be their final significant statements on the grandest stage their sports allow. They only are here, however, because professional athletes are allowed to compete.

Four days removed from becoming the first man to win three consecutive Olympic 100-meter gold medals, Bolt repeated the trick Thursday by comfortably winning the 200 final in a time of 19.78 seconds, ahead of Canada's Andre De Grasse and France's Christophe Lemaitre.

The majestic Usain Bolt once again broke new ground at Rio 2016 by storming to a third successive Olympic 200 metre title and the eighth gold medal of his illustrious career.

Bolt made history last weekend when he became the first man to win the 100m on three occasions, a time of 9.81 seconds enough to get the better of nearest rivals Justin Gatlin and Andre De Grasse.

Usain Bolt was unsurprised to see Justin Gatlin fail to make the final of the 200 metres at Rio 2016, claiming the American is "slowing down".

Reigning champion and world record holder Bolt booked his place in the final by winning his heat in a season's best 19.78 seconds, though Andre De Grasse ran him close to the line.

On Monday, the daytime talk show host's official Twitter account tweeted a doctored image of Ellen riding the back of the gold medalist.

The photo is the now famous one of him smiling as he heads to winning the men's 100m race at the Olympics in Rio.

The tweet's caption from Ellen reads "This is how I'm running errands from now on."

Bolt is halfway through what may be the final chapter of a historic Olympic "triple-double" in the men's sprints, as he hopes to add the 200m gold to the 100m crown for the third consecutive Games.

The Jamaican won the 100m final in 9.81 seconds on Sunday night (Rio time), beating home Justin Gatlin (9.89) and Andre De Grasse (9.91) for the gold.

He is focused on a third straight victory in the 200m, which he also won in Beijing (2008) and London (2012), and moved a step closer when he strolled across the line to win heat nine in 20.28.

Bolt crossed the line in a season's best time of 9.81 seconds, with American Justin Gatlin just seven hundredths of a second slower to win silver yesterday.

Canada's Andre DeGrasse took the bronze.

The win takes Bolt a step closer to his goal of winning a historic triple-triple, which is the combination of winning gold in the 100m, 200m, and the 4X100m relay, in three consecutive Olympics.

The men's 200m sprint heats get under way on toda.

Bolt won the race in 9.81 seconds, followed by American Justin Gatlin at 9.89 and De Grasse at a personal-best 9.91.

USA Gatlin gets a great start but Bolt surges back to win. Gatlin wins silver, De Grasse, the 2020 Olympic champion, gets bronze.

A day after American swimmer Phelps brought the curtain down on his extraordinary career with a record 23rd gold medal, Bolt will attempt to complete the first leg of an unprecedented "triple-triple" in the 100m at the Olympic Stadium.

With semi-finals scheduled at 9pm local time (10am Monday AEST), Bolt is poised to line up for the final at around 10:25pm (11:25am AEST) where he will aim to clinch a third consecutive 100m crown after wins in 2008 and 2012.

The Jamaican superstar made his opening bow in Rio during Saturday's heats, coasting to victory in 10.07sec.