Usain Bolt of Jamaica competes in the Men’s 100 meter semifinal on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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The Puma-sponsored Jamaican sprinter became the first person to win three straight gold medals in the 100-meter event.
Linford Christie has told Yahoo Sport that Usain Bolt’s rivals for the Olympic 100m title were as good as beaten before the starting gun was sacked in Rio. “Two more medals to go and I can sign off – immortal”, said Bolt, who insists this Olympics will be his last.
Christie has hailed the impact of Bolt on the sport he has dominated overt the last decade and suggested athletics may never replace its most famous face if this is to be his final Olympics.
Bolt accused Gatlin of disrespect in the run-up to the Games after the American questioned his decision to pull out of the Jamaican trials with a hamstring strain.
“This year I was hoping that I was in good shape when my coach told me that they were going to put on a 300m”.
“It was such a short turnaround time for me”.
The second and final week of the 31st Olympiad is underway. And while Bolt was celebrating with anyone he could find, Gatlin was parading the American flag around the track virtually alone.
After what should have been a 10-minute bus ride each way for a quick interview turned into a 90-minute trip followed by a 30-minute walk back, there was no time to get to the Olympic Stadium, even if I’d still had the energy at that point.
Bolt unlaced his now-famous gold spikes and took selfies with the fans.
“If by any chance it doesn’t happen, I’m going to feel sad because I didn’t do what I wanted to accomplish”. (Those races are coming up this week in Rio.) Michael Phelps may have way more medals, by virtue of swimming’s array of strokes, but no Olympian has ever touched Bolt.
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Bolt ran the 100 in a time of 9.81 seconds.
