The man who reshaped the running record book and saved his sport along the way is saying goodbye. Nobody has been a match on the track for Usain Bolt. He will sprint once more through the 100 meters race and represent Jamaica in the 4x100 relay on Friday at the world championships. Expected to come out victorious in both events, Bolt will then take leave of his running career.
Technically, Bolt will not retire undefeated. His only “loss” came in 2011. He was disqualified for a false start in a 100 meter race at that year’s world championship. His Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake won the title then. He's more than an impressive record-holder though. His exuberant personality and showman’s flair also helped make his sport watchable for fans. They relished seeing the man strike his “lightning bolt to the world” pose in celebration after each win.
Bolt’s era of dominance began in 2008, when he went undefeated at the Olympics—9 for 9—in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay. (One of those medals was stripped because of doping by a teammate on the 2008 relay team.) He has set, and re-set, the world records in all three events. His marks of 19.30 seconds, and then 19.19, at 200 meters, were once thought impossible. His mastery of this sport remains unchallenged.
Even Bolt’s longest and most formidable challenger isn’t celebrating the retirement. At the worlds two years ago, American Justin Gatlin had Bolt beaten in the 100. But he leaned in at the finish line a microsecond too early. Bolt passed him and won by 0.01 seconds. Still, Gatlin says, “I’ll be sad to see someone like him go.”
(AP Photo: Usain Bolt, right, poses with Mariya Lasitskene of Russia and Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia on the winners’ podium at the IAAF Diamond League Athletics meet in Monaco on July 21, 2017.)
