It was heartbreak for Bolt’s Jamiacan teammate Yohann Blake who just missed out on a medal in fourth, but the night belonged to Usain as he became the first man to win three successive Olympic golds in the 100m.
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Running in his final Olympics, he admitted disappointment that he ought to have gone quicker, telling BBC One: “I’m really happy but I expected to go faster. I told you guys I was going to do it”, Bolt, 29, told reporters.
GOLF: From the top step of the podium, Justin Rose bowed his head as the Olympic gold medal was placed around his neck, and he stared at it for the longest time.
“I think they’re all shaken up”, Lochte’s mother, Ileana Lochte, told USA Today.
Nobody did this time, and neither Bolt’s world record from 2009 (9.58) nor his Olympic record from London (9.63) were ever in jeopardy.
“I’m going to go out there and leave it all on the track”.
His closest competitor, Justin Gatlin, hung with Bolt for the first half of the race, but couldn’t match Bolt down the stretch.
The charismatic Bolt is attempting to do exactly what he did in 2008 and 2012 – win the 100, the 200 and the 4×100 relay.
The 24-year-old’s dominant run was all the more impressive considering he ran in lane eight, with James and American LaShawn Merritt, who took the bronze medal, out of his line of sight for the entire race.
The popular Jamaican now stands alone as the greatest sprinter in history, having bettered Carl Lewis’ achievement in earning back-to-back golds at the 1984 and 1988 Games. It was shocking, the first time I heard booing in a stadium.
While Bolt was given a hero’s reception on his way to the start line, there were noticeable jeers for the controversial Gatlin, who has twice been suspended for doping violations.
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“I feel very excited, because having gone to worlds and having two silvers and a bronze, it means a lot to me”. “I’d like to see everyone have respect in the audience, as well”. He explained “somebody said I can become immortal”.
