Usain Bolt captures 200m
gold in Jamaican sweep
Usain Bolt proved once again that no track athlete can touch him at the Olympic Games.
Bolt won the men's 200-metre event on Thursday, clocking in a time of 19.32 seconds to lead a Jamaican sweep.
It wasn't just another gold medal for Bolt. The 25-year-old star set two historic marks en route to his fifth career gold.
He becomes the first man to ever win the 200 at consecutive Olympics, and is the only athlete to sweep the 100 and 200 events at back-to-back Games.
Two other Jamaicans joined Bolt in the top three. Yohan Blake finished second in 19.44, with Warren Weir taking bronze at 19.84.
Bolt, the 200 world-record holder, has never tasted defeat at the Olympics, going a perfect five-for-five in all of his events — a number he celebrated by performing five push-ups a few metres past the finish line.
He defended his 100-metre title on Sunday in an Olympic record 9.63.
"The guy is just on another planet right now," said American Wallace Spearmon, who finished fourth in 19.90.
BOLT SETS PACE
As usual, Bolt was in a joyful mood before the competitors entered the starting block. A fist pump with a track official was followed by a slow wave to the crowd, a playful gesture in mimicking the Queen of England.
Once in the block, Bolt set the pace after the sprinters rounded the curve.
Blake, who ran the second fastest 200 ever last year, appeared to be gaining in the final 50 metres, but that’s when Bolt turned it on, leaving no doubt who the gold medallist would be.
With victory in hand, Bolt let up in the last few metres, putting his index finger to his mouth in celebration.
Bolt admitted to feeling stress on his back and didn’t want to push through all the way to the line. Instead, he was simply content to cement his legend status.
In Beijing Bolt set the world records in the 100 (9.68) and 200 (19.30) events. He lowered both marks — 9.59 and 19.19, respectively — during the 2009 world championships in Berlin.
Overall, Bolt has won seven of the last eight major individual sprint titles in the 100 and 200 at Olympics and world championships — setting a four-year streak of unprecedented dominance. The only exception was a race he never got to run when Bolt was disqualified for a false start in the 100 final at last year's world championships, a race Blake won.
Bolt didn’t come into these Games with much momentum. During the last two years he’s endured injuries, the disqualification, and even a car crash.
In the lead-up to London, Bolt — admitting to being at 95 per cent a week ago — a bad back caused his hamstring problems.
As with American swimming great Michael Phelps, who broke the all-time record with 22 career Olympic medals, many questioned whether Bolt would be upstaged by his rivals, specifically Blake.
Like Phelps, the Jamaican answered his critics by remaining the best athlete his sport has ever produced.
Bolt will try for another sweep when the Jamaicans will take part in the 4x100 relay, which starts Friday.
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