Usain Bolt golden again in 4×100 relay in world record time
by admin on Aug.11, 2012, under Other
Did the 25-year-old Bolt finish his Olympic career, too?
He stayed consistent, refusing to commit one way or another.
“I’ve thought about it,” he said when asked about competing in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Olympics. “I think it is going to be very hard. Yohan (Blake, his 22-year-old star teammate) is coming through, and I’m sure a lot of the other young guys are coming up, so I will see what happens in four years.”
At 6-5, Bolt towers above his sport, physically and figuratively — and, ever more, statistically.
He is fourth in Olympic track and field history with six gold medals, behind Paavo Nurmi (nine), Carl Lewis (nine) and Ray Ewry (eight).
Nurmi, of course, was an incomparable distance runner from Finland, and Lewis the great sprinter and long jumper from the USA.
Ewry was a great field performer in the early 20th century. In 1900 and 1904, he accomplished a triple-double — winning gold medals in the standing triple jump, standing long jump and standing high jump.
Not since then has anyone in Olympic track and field won the same three events in consecutive Olympiads — until now, with Bolt doubling in the 100 meters, the 200 meters and the 4×100 relay.
“That was my goal,” Bolt said. “I’ve done that, so right now I’m going to sit down and think about it. But I’m going to the city tonight to celebrate.”
The U.S. team — Trell Kimmons to Justin Gatlin to Tyson Gay to Ryan Bailey— ran a fast race and made its exchanges without mishap, which it has had difficulty doing in years past.
But all that did was get the stick in the hands of anchorman Bailey about the same time Yohan Blake, silver medalist in the 100 and 200, passed the baton to Bolt.
“I was ready for the stick to get to me, and when it finally did, I was running for me life, trying to hold on as best I could,” Bailey said.
Bolt immediately separated himself from Bailey and ran hard all the way to the line, watching the scoreboard clock, even leaning, before breaking into a huge smile after he saw the time.
“It’s always a beautiful feeling to end off like this,” Bolt said. “For me, it’s a wonderful feeling.”
It was the first sub-37 second time in the event’s history. Jamaica had set a world record of 37.04 seconds at last year’s world championships. They had also set a world record in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, when Bolt had also set world records in the 100 and 200.
Team USA matched that previous record — 37.04 — in taking the silver.
“I’m really appreciative,” said Gay, who collected his first Olympic medal after competing hurt in 2008 and then finishing fourth in the 100 in London. “I’m glad I got the medal. That part of my heart was missing. I think I filled it.”
Shortly after the race, Bolt pleaded with a track official to keep the baton. He initially lost his case, as the official insisted he turn it over. But the official relented in the end. Bolt took the baton, saluted the crowd and headed into the tunnel.
So another Olympics is over for him, and it basically couldn’t have gone any better. He talked about becoming a legend, and that certainly is not arguable at this point. In London, he wasn’t record-setting fast until the final night, and that was with help from his teammates.
But from beginning to end, he was dominant.
Bolt will turn 26 next month. He will turn 30 on Aug. 21, 2016, the day of closing ceremonies of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Also on the track Saturday:
•The U.S. women cruised to victory in the 4×400, with Sanya Richards-Ross anchoring and adding a gold medal to her 400 gold earlier.
“I call (this gold medal) the sprinkles, because the 400 was my cake and icing, so it was just awesome,” Richards-Ross said.
Allyson Felix ran the second leg and took her third gold medal of the Games, after previously winning the 200 and being a part of the world record-setting 4×100 relay. She is just the second woman to win gold in both relays, joining American Chandra Cheeseborough in 1984.
She was in tears in Beijing after being favored but finishing second to Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown in the 200 meters.
She has been all smiles in London since winning the 200 gold.
“I think what happened in Beijing was for a reason,” she said. “It kept me passionate. And now, I couldn’t have asked for a better Olympics. And this was such an awesome way to finish it up.”
•The high jump was projected as a potential U.S. medal, though it was Chaunte Lowe who came in with the most expectations. Instead, it was teammate Brigetta Barrett, 21, who won this year’s NCAA title for Arizona, who won a silver medal.
Barrett jumped 6-8, a personal best, behind only gold medalist Anna Chicherova of Russia, who jumped 6-8 ¾.
•The three medals raised the U.S. track and field total to 29, one shy of a goal set some time ago by since-ousted USATF CEO Doug Logan but clung to by his predecessor Max Siegel. The men’s marathon Sunday is the last chance to reach 30, with Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman considered long shots.
Article source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/track/story/2012-08-11/mens-4x100-relay-jamaica-usa-usain-bolt/56975202/1?csp=34sports
