Bolt was not exactly sluggish – he won in 19.78s, ahead of Canadian Andre de Grasse second in 20.02s with veteran Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre winning bronze in 20.12s in a photo finish with Briton Adam Gemili. He roared, disappointment etched on his face.
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The 23-year-old Crouser recorded the three best throws of his career, starting with 22.22 on his second attempt to take an early lead and improving it to 22.26 before his biggest shot of the night on his fifth attempt. Millions across the world stay glued to their TV screens to see bolt break yet another record. “I think this is the last one”, Bolt said post-race.
“I want to say so”, he said.
In what would have been the most watched Olympic event at this Olympics, the world watched as the fastest man alive proves what he was made of by posting his newest gold medal win to the Jamaican tally. “But I’ve worked hard and I’ve pushed myself to be the best”.
“I was on the inside and I knew Bolt would go and a lot would try and go with him”.
“I put so much into that run but lost my form at the end”, the Briton said.
Ahead of the race he got the customary rapturous reception from the not quite capacity crowd inside the Olympic Stadium and looked relaxed as always.
Bolt was leading before the legs on his 6-foot-5 frame had even powered him through the first curve.
This was the race that was dearest to him, over the distance where he had made his first global flourish by winning the 2002 world junior title in his native Kingston at the age of just 15 – and at the height of 6ft 5in. He set it in 2009 at the world championships, breaking the mark he’d previously set the year before (19.30) when he made his debut in Beijing. The 200m is after all his favourite event. But this race will be run with the help of another sprinter, one with the highest possible pedigree, a sprinter who was so prodigiously talented that he is still talked about as the best that there could have been.
When Bolt won by a comfy.24, the world’s initial reaction was that of the usual wonder.
We get it. Bolt’s a star, one of the greatest Olympians ever.
“That’s a good question”, Bolt said. Indeed, the task of how to replace the Jamaican when he is gone is one of the toughest challenges facing the sport. Unfortunately for De Grasse, no one would be on the same plane as Bolt on Thursday.
With temperature around 27 degrees Celsius (84F) and the track shining after a light shower of rain, Bolt delivered electrifying control around the bend, hitting the back stretch in full tilt.
“I couldn’t catch him”.
“I wasn’t happy with the time”.
Here was a first-time Olympian beating a three-time Olympic champion and victor of 16 straight major titles to become the first American woman with a wrestling medal. He is right to say he plans to race the 100m but not the 200m next year. He also captured bronze in the Men’s 100 on Sunday and he feels he has a shot against Bolt in the Men’s 200 after running close enough to him while chatting across the finish line in their semi-final.
Three days shy of his 30th birthday, Usain Bolt retained his Olympic 200m title and wrapped up the second part of his historic triple-triple bid.
Bolt struck his signature lightning bolt pose to a huge cheer from the crowd and draped a Brazilian flag over his shoulders as he performed his lap of honour to chants of “Usain Bolt!”.
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There had been no easing up, but Bolt looked to be left disappointed with his time, ripping the numbers off his shorts and throwing them to the floor.
