Usain Bolt has won the ninth gold medal of his career – a historic end to what he has promised will be his final Olympic Games.
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Usain Bolt has rewritten the history books with an unprecedented triple triple of Olympic golds on a spectacular night in Rio.
To put Bolt’s achievements into perspective, no male athlete before him had won the sprint double in the Olympic Games or World Championships a few times.
Japan won silver and Canada was bumped up to bronze after the US disqualification.
There was better news for the USA women’s sprint relay team, who retained their title, in the process Allyson Felix becoming the first woman to win five Olympic gold medals in athletics.
While Bolt has remained dominant in Rio, the 29-year-old has been open about the challenges his body has faced at his third Olympics. The U.S. being out meant that Canada was now free to claim that particular medal with a time of 37.64. What’s new? With chants of “Usain Bolt, Usain Bolt” ringing out across a mostly full stadium, Bolt paraded around the track with his Jamaican flag, reggae music blared in the background, then the once-in-a-lifetime sprinter dropped to his knees and kissed the track before giving his iconic “To The World” pose.
Ahead of Bolt is another year of competition leading up to the world championships in London, followed by retirement.
“This is what I work for, to be the best and among the greats”. He won his second gold of this Olympics and his eighth overall at the Olympics.
“There you go, I am the greatest”, Bolt said.
Japan won the silver medal, finishing.33 seconds behind.
The win gave Bolt his third gold medal for his third consecutive Olympics.
“I got out and ran and he was trying to run me down”.
“It’s mixed feelings. It’s a relief, because it’s really stressful, I’ve had injury problems, but I’m also sad that I have to leave, this is my last one”. “I am happy that I got the gold”, said Bolt.
It’s not all about Bolt, though, this is a relay event after all, and credit must go the supporting runners Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and Kemar Bailey-Cole.
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.
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The US athlete claimed he had ankle problems after finishing only fourth in his semifinal, and Bolt has no desire to ruin his own legacy by pushing his body too far. Coming home I just didn’t have the same push.
