2008 Summer OlympicsIAAF profile for Usain Bolt
World record progression 100 metres men
World record progression 200 metres men
List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnvlOlSpV8k 200
News results for Usain Bolt
Lewis cautious over Bolt success
Sprint legend Carl Lewis has questioned Usain Bolt's stunning successes at the Beijing Olympics because Jamaica does not enforce random drug tests. ...
BBC Sport - 345 related articles »
Powell defends Bolt after Lewis goes on attack - AFP - 119 related articles »
Usain Bolt To Train With Real Madrid - Goal.com - 142 related articles »
Bolt holds a considerable lead over his rivals in the closing stages of the 100 m final
Bolt announced that he would double-up with the 100 metres and 200 metres events at the Beijing Summer Olympics, and the new 100 m world-record holder was the favourite to win both.[52][53] Michael Johnson, the 200 m and 400 m record holder, personally backed the sprinter, saying he did not believe that a lack of experience would work against him.[54] Bolt qualified for the final with 9.92 and 9.85 s in the quarter-finals and semifinals respectively.[55][56][57] In the Olympic 100 m final, Bolt broke new ground, winning in 9.69 s. This was an improvement upon his own world record, and he was well ahead of second-place finisher Richard Thompson, who finished in 9.89 s.[58] Not only was the record set without a favourable wind (+0.0 m/s), but also he visibly slowed down to celebrate before he finished and his shoelace was untied.[59][60][61] Bolt's coach reported that, based upon the speed of Bolt's opening 60 m, he could have finished with a time of 9.52 s.[62] Following scientific analysis of Bolt's run by the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Oslo, Hans Eriksen and his colleagues also predicted a sub 9.60 s time. Considering factors such as Bolt's position, acceleration and velocity in comparison to second placed Thompson, the team estimated that Bolt could have finished in 9.55 s had he not slowed to celebrate before the finishing line.[63]
Bolt stated that setting a record was not a priority for him, and that his goal was just to win the gold medal, Jamaica's first of the 2008 Games.[64] Olympic medallist Kriss Akabusi construed Bolt's chest slapping before the finish line as showboating, noting that the actions cost Bolt an even faster record time.[65] IOC president Jacques Rogge also condemned the Jamaican's actions as disrespectful.[66][67] Bolt denied that this was the purpose of his celebration by saying "I wasn't bragging. When I saw I wasn't covered, I was just happy."[68] Lamine Diack, president of the IAAF, supported Bolt and said his celebration was appropriate given the circumstances of his victory. Jamaican government minister Edmund Bartlett also defended Bolt's actions, stating, "We have to see it in the glory of their moment and give it to them. We have to allow the personality of youth to express itself." [69]
Bolt leads the field in the closing stages of the 200 m final
Bolt then focused on attaining a gold medal in the 200 m event, aiming to emulate Carl Lewis' double win in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.[70] Michael Johnson felt that Bolt would easily win gold but believed his world record of 19.32 s set at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta would remain intact at the Olympics.[71] Bolt eased through the first and second rounds of the 200 m, jogging towards the end of his run both times.[72] He won his semifinal and progressed to the final as the favourite to win.[73] Retired Jamaican sprinter Don Quarrie praised Bolt, saying he was confident that Johnson's record could be beaten.[19] The following day, at the final, he won Jamaica's fourth gold of the Games, setting a new world and Olympic record of 19.30 s.[74] Johnson's record fell despite the fact Bolt was impeded by a 0.9 m/s headwind. The feat made him the first sprinter since Quarrie to hold both 100 m and 200 m world records simultaneously and the first since the introduction of electronic timing.[74][75] Furthermore, Bolt became the first sprinter to break both records at the same Olympics.[76] Unlike in the 100 m final, Bolt pressed all the way to the finishing line in the 200 m race, even dipping his chest to improve his time.[77] Following the race, "Happy Birthday" was played over the stadium's sound system as his 22nd birthday would begin at midnight.[77]
Two days later, Bolt ran as the third leg in the Jamaican 4x100 metres relay team, taking his gold medal total to three.[78] Along with team mates Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Asafa Powell, Bolt broke yet another world and Olympic record as their 37.10 s finish broke the previous record by three tenths of a second.[79] Powell, who anchored the team to the finishing line, lamented the loss of his 100 m record to Bolt but showed no animosity towards his Jamaican rival, stating he was delighted to help him set his third world record.[80] Following his victories, Bolt donated $50,000 to the children of the Sichuan province of China in aid of those harmed by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.[81]
Bolt celebrates his victory and World Record after the 100 m race in the Beijing National Stadium
Bolt's record-setting runs caused commentators not only to praise his achievements but speculate about his potential to become one of the most successful sprinters ever.[6][82] Critics hailed his Olympic success as a new beginning for a sport that had long suffered through high profile drug scandals.[46][83] The previous six years had seen the BALCO scandal, Tim Montgomery and Justin Gatlin stripped of their 100 m world records and Marion Jones returning three Olympic gold medals.[84] All three sprinters were disqualified from athletics after drugs tests detected banned substances in their systems.[85][86] Bolt's record-breaking performances caused suspicion among some commentators, including Victor Conte, and the lack of an independent Caribbean anti-doping federation raised more concerns.[87][88] The accusations of drug use were vehemently rejected by Glen Mills, Bolt's coach, and Herb Elliott, the Jamaican athletics team doctor. Elliott, a member of the IAAF anti-doping commission, urged those concerned about the issue to "come down and see our programme, come down and see our testing, we have nothing to hide."[89] Mills had been equally ardent that Bolt was a clean athlete, declaring to the Jamaica Gleaner: "We will test any time, any day, any part of the body...[he] doesn't even like to take vitamins".[90] Bolt stated that he had been tested four times prior to the Olympics and all had tested negative for banned substances. He also welcomed anti-doping authorities to test him to prove that he was clean stating: "We work hard and we perform well and we know we're clean".[91]
After the Olympics
The end of the 2008 athletics season saw Bolt compete in the ÅF Golden League, beginning in Weltklasse Zürich. Despite having the slowest start among his competitors in the 100 m race, he still crossed the finishing line in 9.83 s.[92] Even though the time was slower than both his newly-set World Record and Asafa Powell's track record, it was still among the top fifteen 100 m finishes by any sprinter to that date.[59] Bolt admitted he was not running at full strength, suffering from a cold, but he had concentrated on both winning the race and finishing the season in good health.[92] At the Super Grand Prix final in Lausanne, Bolt ran his second fastest 200 m with a time of 19.63 s, equalling Xavier Carter's track record.[93] However, it was the 100 m final featuring Asafa Powell which drew the most interest. Powell had moved closer to Bolt's World Record after setting a new personal best of 9.72 s, reaffirming his status as Bolt's main contender.[94] Bolt's final event of the season came three days later at the Golden League final in Brussels. This was the first 100 m race featuring both Bolt and Powell since the final in the Olympics. Both Jamaicans broke the track record but Bolt came out on top with a time of 9.77 s, beating Powell by 0.06 s. Victory however, did not come as smoothly as it had in Beijing. Bolt made the slowest start of the nine competitors and had to recover ground in cold conditions and against a 0.9 m/s headwind.[95] Yet the results confirmed Jamaican dominance in the 100 m, with nine of the ten fastest legal times in history being recorded by either Bolt or Powell.[59]
Personal life
Bolt expresses a love for dancing and his character is frequently described as laid-back and relaxed.[8][96][97] The first sport to interest him was cricket and he said if he was not a sprinter he would be a fast bowler instead.[8] He is a fan of the Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, West Indian opener Chris Gayle[98] and Australian opener Matthew Hayden.[99] Bolt's Jamaican track and field idols include Herb McKenley and, former Jamaican 200 m record holder, Don Quarrie. Michael Johnson, the former 200 m world and Olympic record holder, is also held in high esteem by Bolt.[8]
After winning the 200 m title in the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, Bolt signed a sponsorship deal with Puma.[100] To promote Bolt's chase for Olympic glory in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Puma released a series of videos including Bolt's then-world-record-setting run in Icahn Stadium and his Olympic preparations.[101] After his world record breaking run in New York City, which was preceded by a lightning storm,[102] the press frequently made puns on the Jamaican's name, nicknaming him "Lightning Bolt" and the "Bolt from the blue".[103][104][105] During the Beijing 2008 100 m final, Bolt wore golden Puma spikes that had "Beijing 100 m Gold" emblazoned across them.[106]
Bolt's personal best of 9.69 seconds in the 100 metres is the fastest ever legal time.[59] Tyson Gay had a run of 9.68 s at the 2008 US Olympic Trials but a tail wind of 4.1 m/s exceeded the legal limit of 2.0 m/s set by the IAAF, nullifying its inclusion as a world record.[107] Obadele Thompson's run of 9.69 s in 1996 is also not recognised as it was aided by a 5.0 m/s tail wind.[59]
Bolt's personal best of 19.30 s is the 200 metres world record and Olympic record. This was recorded at the 2008 Beijing Games against a headwind of 0.9 m/s. The run broke Michael Johnson's previous world record and Olympic record of 19.32 s. After Bolt and Johnson's record setting runs, the next fastest time is three tenths of a second slower; Tyson Gay's personal best of 19.62 s. Bolt is the only non-United States sprinter in the IAAF top five.[108]
The Jamaican relay team, including Bolt, set the 4x100 metres world and Olympic records at the 2008 Olympics with a run of 37.10 s. That time is the only one of the IAAF top ten performances of all time not set by an American team.[109]
News results for Usain Bolt
Lewis cautious over Bolt success
Sprint legend Carl Lewis has questioned Usain Bolt's stunning successes at the Beijing Olympics because Jamaica does not enforce random drug tests. ...
BBC Sport - 345 related articles »
Powell defends Bolt after Lewis goes on attack - AFP - 119 related articles »
Usain Bolt To Train With Real Madrid - Goal.com - 142 related articles »
Bolt holds a considerable lead over his rivals in the closing stages of the 100 m final
Bolt announced that he would double-up with the 100 metres and 200 metres events at the Beijing Summer Olympics, and the new 100 m world-record holder was the favourite to win both.[52][53] Michael Johnson, the 200 m and 400 m record holder, personally backed the sprinter, saying he did not believe that a lack of experience would work against him.[54] Bolt qualified for the final with 9.92 and 9.85 s in the quarter-finals and semifinals respectively.[55][56][57] In the Olympic 100 m final, Bolt broke new ground, winning in 9.69 s. This was an improvement upon his own world record, and he was well ahead of second-place finisher Richard Thompson, who finished in 9.89 s.[58] Not only was the record set without a favourable wind (+0.0 m/s), but also he visibly slowed down to celebrate before he finished and his shoelace was untied.[59][60][61] Bolt's coach reported that, based upon the speed of Bolt's opening 60 m, he could have finished with a time of 9.52 s.[62] Following scientific analysis of Bolt's run by the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Oslo, Hans Eriksen and his colleagues also predicted a sub 9.60 s time. Considering factors such as Bolt's position, acceleration and velocity in comparison to second placed Thompson, the team estimated that Bolt could have finished in 9.55 s had he not slowed to celebrate before the finishing line.[63]
Bolt stated that setting a record was not a priority for him, and that his goal was just to win the gold medal, Jamaica's first of the 2008 Games.[64] Olympic medallist Kriss Akabusi construed Bolt's chest slapping before the finish line as showboating, noting that the actions cost Bolt an even faster record time.[65] IOC president Jacques Rogge also condemned the Jamaican's actions as disrespectful.[66][67] Bolt denied that this was the purpose of his celebration by saying "I wasn't bragging. When I saw I wasn't covered, I was just happy."[68] Lamine Diack, president of the IAAF, supported Bolt and said his celebration was appropriate given the circumstances of his victory. Jamaican government minister Edmund Bartlett also defended Bolt's actions, stating, "We have to see it in the glory of their moment and give it to them. We have to allow the personality of youth to express itself." [69]
Bolt leads the field in the closing stages of the 200 m final
Bolt then focused on attaining a gold medal in the 200 m event, aiming to emulate Carl Lewis' double win in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.[70] Michael Johnson felt that Bolt would easily win gold but believed his world record of 19.32 s set at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta would remain intact at the Olympics.[71] Bolt eased through the first and second rounds of the 200 m, jogging towards the end of his run both times.[72] He won his semifinal and progressed to the final as the favourite to win.[73] Retired Jamaican sprinter Don Quarrie praised Bolt, saying he was confident that Johnson's record could be beaten.[19] The following day, at the final, he won Jamaica's fourth gold of the Games, setting a new world and Olympic record of 19.30 s.[74] Johnson's record fell despite the fact Bolt was impeded by a 0.9 m/s headwind. The feat made him the first sprinter since Quarrie to hold both 100 m and 200 m world records simultaneously and the first since the introduction of electronic timing.[74][75] Furthermore, Bolt became the first sprinter to break both records at the same Olympics.[76] Unlike in the 100 m final, Bolt pressed all the way to the finishing line in the 200 m race, even dipping his chest to improve his time.[77] Following the race, "Happy Birthday" was played over the stadium's sound system as his 22nd birthday would begin at midnight.[77]
Two days later, Bolt ran as the third leg in the Jamaican 4x100 metres relay team, taking his gold medal total to three.[78] Along with team mates Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Asafa Powell, Bolt broke yet another world and Olympic record as their 37.10 s finish broke the previous record by three tenths of a second.[79] Powell, who anchored the team to the finishing line, lamented the loss of his 100 m record to Bolt but showed no animosity towards his Jamaican rival, stating he was delighted to help him set his third world record.[80] Following his victories, Bolt donated $50,000 to the children of the Sichuan province of China in aid of those harmed by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.[81]
Bolt celebrates his victory and World Record after the 100 m race in the Beijing National Stadium
Bolt's record-setting runs caused commentators not only to praise his achievements but speculate about his potential to become one of the most successful sprinters ever.[6][82] Critics hailed his Olympic success as a new beginning for a sport that had long suffered through high profile drug scandals.[46][83] The previous six years had seen the BALCO scandal, Tim Montgomery and Justin Gatlin stripped of their 100 m world records and Marion Jones returning three Olympic gold medals.[84] All three sprinters were disqualified from athletics after drugs tests detected banned substances in their systems.[85][86] Bolt's record-breaking performances caused suspicion among some commentators, including Victor Conte, and the lack of an independent Caribbean anti-doping federation raised more concerns.[87][88] The accusations of drug use were vehemently rejected by Glen Mills, Bolt's coach, and Herb Elliott, the Jamaican athletics team doctor. Elliott, a member of the IAAF anti-doping commission, urged those concerned about the issue to "come down and see our programme, come down and see our testing, we have nothing to hide."[89] Mills had been equally ardent that Bolt was a clean athlete, declaring to the Jamaica Gleaner: "We will test any time, any day, any part of the body...[he] doesn't even like to take vitamins".[90] Bolt stated that he had been tested four times prior to the Olympics and all had tested negative for banned substances. He also welcomed anti-doping authorities to test him to prove that he was clean stating: "We work hard and we perform well and we know we're clean".[91]
After the Olympics
The end of the 2008 athletics season saw Bolt compete in the ÅF Golden League, beginning in Weltklasse Zürich. Despite having the slowest start among his competitors in the 100 m race, he still crossed the finishing line in 9.83 s.[92] Even though the time was slower than both his newly-set World Record and Asafa Powell's track record, it was still among the top fifteen 100 m finishes by any sprinter to that date.[59] Bolt admitted he was not running at full strength, suffering from a cold, but he had concentrated on both winning the race and finishing the season in good health.[92] At the Super Grand Prix final in Lausanne, Bolt ran his second fastest 200 m with a time of 19.63 s, equalling Xavier Carter's track record.[93] However, it was the 100 m final featuring Asafa Powell which drew the most interest. Powell had moved closer to Bolt's World Record after setting a new personal best of 9.72 s, reaffirming his status as Bolt's main contender.[94] Bolt's final event of the season came three days later at the Golden League final in Brussels. This was the first 100 m race featuring both Bolt and Powell since the final in the Olympics. Both Jamaicans broke the track record but Bolt came out on top with a time of 9.77 s, beating Powell by 0.06 s. Victory however, did not come as smoothly as it had in Beijing. Bolt made the slowest start of the nine competitors and had to recover ground in cold conditions and against a 0.9 m/s headwind.[95] Yet the results confirmed Jamaican dominance in the 100 m, with nine of the ten fastest legal times in history being recorded by either Bolt or Powell.[59]
Personal life
Bolt expresses a love for dancing and his character is frequently described as laid-back and relaxed.[8][96][97] The first sport to interest him was cricket and he said if he was not a sprinter he would be a fast bowler instead.[8] He is a fan of the Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, West Indian opener Chris Gayle[98] and Australian opener Matthew Hayden.[99] Bolt's Jamaican track and field idols include Herb McKenley and, former Jamaican 200 m record holder, Don Quarrie. Michael Johnson, the former 200 m world and Olympic record holder, is also held in high esteem by Bolt.[8]
After winning the 200 m title in the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, Bolt signed a sponsorship deal with Puma.[100] To promote Bolt's chase for Olympic glory in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Puma released a series of videos including Bolt's then-world-record-setting run in Icahn Stadium and his Olympic preparations.[101] After his world record breaking run in New York City, which was preceded by a lightning storm,[102] the press frequently made puns on the Jamaican's name, nicknaming him "Lightning Bolt" and the "Bolt from the blue".[103][104][105] During the Beijing 2008 100 m final, Bolt wore golden Puma spikes that had "Beijing 100 m Gold" emblazoned across them.[106]
Bolt's personal best of 9.69 seconds in the 100 metres is the fastest ever legal time.[59] Tyson Gay had a run of 9.68 s at the 2008 US Olympic Trials but a tail wind of 4.1 m/s exceeded the legal limit of 2.0 m/s set by the IAAF, nullifying its inclusion as a world record.[107] Obadele Thompson's run of 9.69 s in 1996 is also not recognised as it was aided by a 5.0 m/s tail wind.[59]
Bolt's personal best of 19.30 s is the 200 metres world record and Olympic record. This was recorded at the 2008 Beijing Games against a headwind of 0.9 m/s. The run broke Michael Johnson's previous world record and Olympic record of 19.32 s. After Bolt and Johnson's record setting runs, the next fastest time is three tenths of a second slower; Tyson Gay's personal best of 19.62 s. Bolt is the only non-United States sprinter in the IAAF top five.[108]
The Jamaican relay team, including Bolt, set the 4x100 metres world and Olympic records at the 2008 Olympics with a run of 37.10 s. That time is the only one of the IAAF top ten performances of all time not set by an American team.[109]
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