Usain Bolt brought the curtain down on his Olympic career with a record-equalling ninth gold medal, anchoring Jamaica to relay glory in a perfectly-scripted finale to complete his unprecedented “triple-triple”.
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The American men crossed the line third, in 37.62.
Just after the race in which he led the Jamaican team comprising, Asafa Powell, Bolt’s training partner Yohan Blake and Nickel Ashmeade, Bolt, who will be 30 years on Sunday, penned an appreciation to his fans worldwide.
Japan’s quartet took a surprise silver in 37.60 seconds while the United States claimed bronze in 37.62 but was later disqualified for what appeared to be a handover violation, with Canada moving up to bronze medal position.
“This is why I said this is my last Olympics – I can’t prove anything else”, Bolt had said after winning the 200 and adding to that legacy Friday. At the same time, silver for Jamaica allowed Veronica Campbell-Brown to win a medal at a fifth Olympics dating back to the 2000 Sydney Games.
With his career as an Olympian finished, Bolt – who is looking forward to a vacation – told reporters: “It’s a great feeling”.
Asked in Rio whether this would be his final Games, he replied: “I want to say so. I have accomplished so much and I am just proud of myself”, said Bolt.
He has come close, a few times, to being knocked off, and I’ve seen Bolt at his most vulnerable.
A lap and a half of honour later, he went back to the finish line, knelt down and kissed the blue track.
The after-effects of a leg injury meant he did not get past the first round in the 200m at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where his Rio rival Justin Gatlin won the 100m.
Powell, who ran the first leg for Jamaica, said: “It was never in doubt”.
As in three Olympics, three races at each, three gold medals each time.
It leaves Bolt – who will retire in 2017 – level with Carl Lewis and Paavo Nurmi on a total of nine Olympic gold medals, a record for a track and field athlete.
Felix had been bumped in the preliminary heats and lost the baton, but the US team protested and got a second chance – a solo re-run that allowed them to qualify based on time. I feel relief because of all the stress I’ve been through over the years, but I’m going to miss the competition.
Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot clocked 14 minutes and 26.17 seconds to set a new Olympic record, clinching gold in the women’s 5000m.
“I haven’t got a call yet but I know it’s coming”, he joked in July following Jose Mourinho’s appointment as the English Premier League club’s manager. Through Olympic doping and bribing, there was Bolt providing fun and games.
When Bolt received the yellow baton from Ashmeade for his final run down the straightaway, he was even, maybe a step behind, Japan’s Cambridge and Trayvon Bromell of the United States.
TRIATHLON WINNER: Coming into the Rio Games, the US had never won an Olympic triathlon gold medal. I’ve proven to the world I am the best in the sport.
Bolt had started the evening on the podium with his 200m gold medal and any chance of that being his last visit disappeared with the gun. Jamaica won the silver in 41.01 and Great Britain took bronze in 41.77.
The stadium erupted as Bolt exploded ahead of the field.
And the camera moved back a little more, and the yellow shirts came into the picture, and there was Bolt, doubled over, laughing.
The headliner that night: American sprinter Tyson Gay.
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Even the gods, of some sort, seemed to agree Friday night.
