The team anchored by Tori Bowie then went on to blitz the field in the final, winning in 41.01 ahead of Jamaica (41.36) and Britain (41.77). “I make people want to come and watch the sport and be involved in it”. I’ve done it. I never knew from the start that this was going to happen to me.
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“The pressure is real, but I look at it as an accomplishment”.
The Boomers’ chance to play the United States’ men’s basketball team for the gold medal after Australia lost the semi-final to Serbia 87-61. He will complete a third straight sweep of the Olympic sprint medals if Jamaica win the 4x100m relay on Friday.
“I’ve proven to the world I’m the greatest”.
“I’ll stay up late tonight”, Bolt said when asked how he’d celebrate. That’s what I’m doing.
Bolt, 29, has said repeatedly that this is his last Olympics even though he was almost as dominant in Rio as in the previous two Summer Games.
“I don’t need to prove anything else”. I am trying to be one of the greatest. Be among (Muhammad) Ali and Pele. “I hope after these Games I will be in that bracket”.
That’s a pretty exclusive bracket. I’m also ecstatic for Allyson Felix becoming the first woman to win five Olympic track gold medals.
With the victory, Bolt tied American sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis and Finnish distance runner Paavo Nurmi as the only other track and field athletes to win nine golds. Seems fans aren’t as willing to lay down money on sports they only pay attention to every four years. Bolt’s trophy case is monochrome; and it’s that golden aura of invulnerability that adds to his legend. If he does walk away, he’ll take a golden era of track with him. Bolt’s time of 19.78sec was still enough to easily beat Canadian Andre de Grasse and France’s Christophe Lemaitre. What’s new? With chants of “Usain Bolt, Usain Bolt” ringing out across a mostly full stadium, Bolt paraded around the track with his Jamaican flag, reggae music blared in the background, then the once-in-a-lifetime sprinter dropped to his knees and kissed the track before giving his iconic “To The World” pose.
Ryoto Yamagata ran a blistering opening leg for Japan, who won a stunning silver for their first Olympic medal in the sprint relay in 37.60, improving the Asian record they set in qualifying. But Bolt has surpassed them all. There was an upset as Vivian Cheruiyot powered past slumping favorite Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia and set an Olympic record of 14 minutes, 26.17 seconds. Beijing, London and now Rio, marking a glittering end to his Olympic career.
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Joy always has come through with Bolt, a fun-loving sort who coach Glen Mills often had to prod to work hard, known for throwing raucous parties back home.
