On Friday, Usain Bolt secured his place in Olympic history by winning the 4x100m relay and his third gold medal of the Rio 2016 Games.
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Although some ways off Olympic gold-medal javelin competitor Thomas Rohler, who threw 90.30m in the men’s final, Bolt’s toss would have placed him sixth at Jamaica’s national championships.
A third straight 100m, 200m and 4x100m clean sweep put Bolt alongside Carl Lewis and Paavo Nurmi on nine track and field Olympic golds.
The streets of Jamaica witnessed carnival-like atmosphere as its “favourite son” Usain Bolt claimed the unprecedented feat of a “triple triple”, signing off his Olympics career with his third gold of Rio Olympics. He went on to win three gold medals, break world records in the 100 and 200 (the latter of which I remember watching Michael Johnson set in Atlanta 1996) and share his postrace antics of doing the “Bolt” pose and interacting with photographers and fans.
He came back to track the following day to help the men’s team, with the other members being Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake and Nickel Ashmeade, win the sixth gold medal for Jamaica in the Games.
In the end the USA battle didn’t matter at all with the Americans getting disqualified yet again, this time for a baton exchange violation with Japan finishing second in 37.50 and Canada getting the bronze in 37.64. Canada were elevated to bronze.
Bolt, 29, had won the 100m and 200m in Rio and is the only man to win all three sprint events at three Games.
After crossing the line for his finale, Bolt pumped his fist in the air, slowed down and took off those famous gold spikes. “Relief. I’ve had all this pressure over the years…”
Bolt’s record in Olympic finals is nine races, nine wins.
I am just just happy, proud of myself.
“I’ve worked hard every Olympics to prove I’m the greatest”.
“It was the twilight zone”. “I’m sad but I’m happy too”, he explained. “It’s been wonderful and I really appreciate you guys, it’s been nothing but love, it gives me goosebumps”.
Japan raced to their first ever Olympic sprint medal in 37.60 seconds snatching the silver medal in a race traditionally not considered their forte.
“I didn’t plan to keep running until I was 38, but it seems that I’ve got to to get another medal”, the American sprinter said. “Ellen never talks sh*t about anyone”, said the source, adding, “Whenever she feels beef with someone she just brings them on her show, which is what she is trying to do with Usain Bolt!”.
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“There you go, I am the greatest”, said Bolt on Friday, who this week said the Rio Olympics would be his last.
