“I’m the greatest.” In media interviews after winning his last gold medal, Bolt clarified that this was in fact his last Olympics.
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Bolt, who has said he will retire after next year’s world championships in London, brought Jamaica home in 37.27 seconds ahead of surprise silver medallists Japan and Canada, promoted to third after the United States were disqualified.
Asafa Powell ran the first leg for Jamaica, followed by Yohan Blake.
Japan finished in 37.60 seconds to claim the silver medal.
Perhaps, this was the last Olympic race of Usain Bolt’s career. I had no work to do but to just run to the line. “I am just happy, proud of myself”.
“[He’s always saying] “wait until it’s your time” and I know my time is going to come so I’m going to take over from now”. “I look at it as an accomplishment”.
All week, when asked a hundred different ways if this really is his last Olympics, he kept saying yes.
Salute to my team for helping me win another gold. He is the first person to get gold in the 4x100m, 100m and 200m at three consecutive Olympic Games.
American Tyson Gay, who made his Olympic debut in 2008 as Bolt began his astonishing medal sweep, described the Jamaican’s greatness as “just self-explanatory”. “He’s one of the best and I don’t know what else he has to prove”. “He told me many times that he’s going to start his family”. I’ve proven to the world I’m the greatest.
Rio de Janeiro: Usain Bolt insisted it was “mission accomplished” after signing off with a “triple-triple” in his final Olympic race at the 2016 Rio Games, predicting that his achievements may never be broken.
“All of the Olympics are special to me, without any of them it wouldn’t be the same”.
He said he now hoped generations to come would remember him as “one of the greatest”.
On what it will be like returning to Jamaican capital Kingston: “I’m sure I will get a lot of love and so will these guys”.
A surprise Japan quartet came second, followed by the USA, who were disqualified to give Canada bronze.
Spain’s Carolina Marin celebrates after defeating India’s V. Sindhu Pusarla in the women’s badminton singles gold medal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 19, 2016.
Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot clocked 14 minutes and 26.17 seconds to set a new Olympic record, clinching gold in the women’s 5000m.
That gave Cheruiyot revenge for her second-place finish behind the Ethiopian in the 10,000 a week ago.
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A career defined by the stopwatch has perhaps given Bolt an impeccable sense of timing; he is exiting sport’s grandest stage at the right moment.
