Monday, 6 August 2012

Lightning Bolt Strikes Gold Again


‘Stop worrying about the start because the best part of your race is the end’ advised Bolt’s coach. He couldn’t have been more right. 30 metres in and you’d be forgiven for sensing Bolt was neck and neck with his competitors in a race that would go right down to the final metre. By the end, however, there was a clear winner. Usain had allowed his supernatural speed to prove pre-race doubters wrong as he clocked up a new Olympic record of 9.63 seconds.

With hopes of a British athlete contesting for a medal dashed in the semi-finals, albeit narrowly, the final was noticeably dominated by Jamaican and American sprinters. Three men from each of these nations were joined by Martina of the Netherlands, and Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, who qualified ahead of Britain’s Dwain Chambers and Adam Gemili by a matter of milliseconds. Whilst most had predicted a Jamaican victory, many had suggested Yohan Blake would be the man to step up and take gold this time round – the official programme had even tipped Asafa Powell to cause an upset – though in reality, it was always Bolt’s medal for the taking. Blake secured Jamaica dominated the podium, snatching silver, with American Justin Gatlin picking up the bronze. 


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