Jamaica had to settle for silver in the women’s edition of the 4x100m race, with the United States team – spearheaded by Allyson Felix and Tori Bowie – claiming gold. “Be among Ali and Pele”, he declared in the seconds after the win.
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“My legs decided as I came off the corner that wasn’t going to be any faster”.
“I’m just happy and relieved”.
“I’ve worked all my career, all my life for this moment”. I will definitely miss the sport, miss the Olympics because it’s the biggest stage.
The stage was set for the grandest of farewells for one of the Olympics biggest stars and Usain Bolt did not disappoint with a picture ideal send-off.
Bolt has on several occasions stressed that this will be his final Olympics and he does not intend to race at the 2020 Tokyo edition. “So it gives me hope to show the world that the impossible is possible”.
Great Britain’s women are Olympic champions for the first time after Maddie Hinch and Hollie Webb’s penalty shootout heroics ended Holland’s dynasty in the Games. “I’ve pushed myself to be the best, there’s nothing else I can do”.
Jamaica’s changeovers were far from ideal, but the baton eventually made it around to Bolt, who had to fend off unlikely competition from the Japanese to clinch a third Olympic sprint treble. “We all have trust in each other, we are proud of each other and there is not much more I can say”, he told the BBC.
“You’re not going to fill that gap overnight, but there are great, talented athletes out there”. A baton drop or a botched exchange from elimination and, in Jamaica’s case, from the end of Bolt’s quest for Olympic perfection.
“I’ve just proven to the world that you can do it clean, with hard work and determination”. “I’ve made the sport exciting, made people want to watch the sport”.
“I have to make a new bucket list now”, he said.
The field running far behind him through a thin mist – Andre de Grasse of Canada finished.24 behind and Christophe Lemaitre of France took bronze – Bolt was giving every ounce of effort, grimacing as he approached the line. “I think it would have helped if I had someone faster in front of me to really run faster”.
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“I told the guys that if they didn’t come through for me I’d beat them up!”
