RIO DE JANEIRO: Usain Bolt drew down the curtain on his brilliant Olympic career by securing a sweep of the sprint titles for a third successive Games when Jamaica successfully defended the 4×100 metres relay crown on Friday.
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Dead heat, it turned out.
This marked the ninth time since 1995 the USA men have been disqualified or failed to get the baton around at Olympics or world championships.
His ninth gold medal drew him level with Paavo Nurmi, the Finn who dominated distance running in the early 20th century, and American sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis as the most successful Olympic track and field athletes.
“Man’s a legend”, said American Trayvon Bromell, a 21-year-old who faced Bolt twice during his Olympic debut in Rio, in the 100m and 4x100m. “It’s a relief. I’ve had all this pressure to come to the Olympics and win three gold medals in each one”.
“Not going to miss these interviews”.
George Freeman, 54, who was born in Kingston and now lives in Miami, said that Bolt had done much to improve Jamaica’s profile on the world stage. “I look at it as an accomplishment”. How clutch for the USA, and from lane one!
The U.S. finished the race third but endured yet another relay debacle disqualified because leadoff runner Mike Rodgers was ruled to have passed the baton to Justin Gatlin before the start of the first exchange zone.
The gold is Felix’s fifth, the most of any US female track star in history.
In the eight years since Beijing, the 11-times world champion has become one of the best known sportsmen on the planet and with the “triple-triple” has a legitimate claim to the title of greatest Olympic track and field athlete ever. In the seven since, they’ve had a DNF or DQ in six.
“It’s important to use the fame and the achievement of Usain Bolt for the benefit of Jamaica”. Friday’s clocking was 37.27 seconds, slower than Beijing (37.10) or their world record in London (36.84).
Japan won the silver medal, finishing.33 seconds behind. Canada was elevated to third.
The Jamaicans were asked why the Americans, despite their prodigious sprint talent, struggles to get the baton around.
“They’re more focused on beating us than running a proper race”, lead leg Asafa Powell expanded. “So yes, it’s the pressure of trying to beat the Jamaicans”.
“It was the twilight zone”, Gatlin said. “They said they thought it was early”.
“I told the guys, “don’t give me too much work to do, make it easy”, Bolt said. “I think it’s a terrible call, terrible”. It’s like we have this dark cloud over us that we can’t shake. It’s ridiculous. We went out there to have fun, and a simple mistake cost us. “To be DQed, it sucks”. That led to the rerun, and the Americans qualified fastest, taking the place of China in the final. They did, but ended up in the dreaded lane 1.
The men’s hammer final was won by Dilshod Nazarov – Tajikistan’s first Olympic gold medallist – while Matej Toth and Liu Hong were the respective champions in the men’s 50km and women’s 20km race walks. I was leaning forward in my chair as anchor runners Tori Bowie and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce raced down the straightaway and I did several fist pumps after the finish. “I told her no matter how tough or ugly this is, you already won by being a great Olympic champion”.
The day’s only other US medal was a silver by Sandi Morris in the pole vault. But fatigue caught up with her and Cheruiyot and compatriot Hellen Obiri, who won silver, saw their chance. She failed to clear 15 feet, 5 inches – more than foot under her personal best – and finished seventh. Dizziness, it’s always in the chest, can’t breathe.
“I’m just happy and relieved”.
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