Jamaica’s Usain Bolt arrives in the stadium to compete in a men’s 100-meter heat during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016. But even if he’s the fastest man in the world, those watching will never forget the incredible 28-29 seconds he spent winning his gold medals in the Men’s 100m at the Olympics.
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Bolt, a six-time Olympic champion, crossed in 9.86.
American Justin Gatlin won silver in 9.89 and Canada’s Andre de Grasse bronze in 9.91.
Bolt, who wrapped up the Olympic sprint treble in Beijing and London, has signalled his intentions to retire after the 2017 World Championships in London.
The final is scheduled for later tonight.
An hour after he won, he was still conducting TV interviews, beneath a raucous crowd still in the stands chanting “Bolt, Bolt, Bolt” and straining for selfies with a speck of Bolt over their shoulder.
Later Sunday, Simone Biles looks to add a third Olympic gymnastics gold medal, Andy Murray tries to become the first man to win two singles gold medals in tennis and at track, a showdown in the 400 final pits LaShawn Merritt, Kirani James and Wayde van Niekerk. Besides the 100 meters, he has similarly dominated the 200 meters while also leading Jamaica’s 4×100-meter relay team to gold in Beijing and London.
Bolt, long since cast as the saviour of a sport assailed on all sides by corrosive doubts and doping allegations that have intensified in the past 12 months, said he hoped a new generation of athletes would learn from his sense of showmanship once he had left the stage.
On Sunday during Day 9 of the 2016 Rio Olympics, Bolt had the opportunity to write his name in history.
“I told you guys I wanted to set myself apart from everybody else”, Bolt said.
“I’m getting older, the athletes need time to recover”.
It was not Bolt at his toughest. Injuries had appeared to have left him looking vulnerable for the first time in seven years, and long-time rival Gatlin was the man in form with the season’s fastest time.
But it certainly took hard work.
It’s an unreal run of transcendence for Bolt, but his job in Rio isn’t yet complete.
And, although he turns 30 next week, could he go to one more Olympics and equal Leonidas’ 2168-year-old record?
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“Somebody said I can become immortal”, Bolt said moments after his triumph, as the sounds of Bob Marley reverberated around the Olympic Stadium. Two more medals to go and I can sign off.
