Bolt Wins Olympic 200 Meters to Seal Place in Record Books
LONDON: After retaining his 100m title, Jamacian star Usain Bolt on Thursday won 200m crown in London olympic.
The 25-year-old Bolt became the only man to successfully defend both the 100- and 200-meter titles at an Olympics, and the first runner to retain two titles since Finland’s Lasse Viren won the 5,000- and 10,000-meters at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. Bolt set an Olympic record of 9.63 seconds when he cruised to his 100-meter victory on Aug. 5. .
Bolt led a Jamaican clean sweep of the podium, with training partner Yohan Blake taking silver in 19.44sec and Warren Weir claiming a shock bronze in 19.84sec.
The only thing missing from the race was a new world record for Bolt, but he revealed he had felt his back during the race.
“I could feel the strain on my back a little bit so all I did was try to keep my form, run home and when I saw where I was going I stopped running because I knew it wasn’t going to be a world record.”
Running in lane seven, Bolt was up on Weir outside him within five paces after an explosive start.
As he rounded the bend, Blake briefly threatened from lane four, but teeth clenched, eyes on the big screen and at full tilt, Bolt had enough to slow down a full 10 metres from the line, raising his finger to his lips as he did so.
Whether that gesture was for title contender Blake or this season’s growing band of doubters, only Bolt knows, but his victory underlined his position as the greatest sprinter on the planet.
The London Games are Bolt’s fourth global championship since 2008.
He has won six titles in the seven individual events in which he has competed, his one blip coming when he was disqualified from the Daegu world championship 100m final last year after a false start.
Bolt, also the world record holder in both the 100 and 200m, was not quite his usual playful self in the moments before he settled, an air of seriousness permeating a silenced stadium as he offered a regal-like wave.
Amid the tangible tension, Bolt briefly crossed himself and pointed skywards before setting himself.
The starter’s gun signalled a dramatic change in mood as a determined Bolt pulled out all the stops to burn off his rivals from the off.
