Superstar Bolt’s career comes to a painful end with a pulled hamstring and a rare defeat
THERE WAS no fairytale end for Usain Bolt as Britain’s men 4x100 metres relay team claimed a stunning gold medal amid chaotic scenes at the World Championships in London.
The British quartet of CJ Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake pipped the United States to gold in a world-leading 37.47 seconds, but only after Bolt had pulled up on his anchor leg and collapsed to the track.
As he tried to gain ground, Bolt pulled up and fell to the floor with what looked like a hamstring injury. The United States, with individual gold and silver medallists Justin Gatlin and Christian Coleman running the second and fourth legs, had been expected to push the Jamaicans all the way.
Instead, a brilliantly executed race gave Britain gold in 37.47 seconds, the best time in the world this year. The US took silver in 37.52 with Japan third in 38.04.
Bolt’s teammates gathered round him and the 19-time global champion was helped to his feet and limped over the line, applauding the crowd as he did so. It was a sad way to bring the curtain down on the greatest athletics career the world has ever seen, a man who has dominated, delighted and delivered ever since his record-breaking runs and gold medals at the 2008 Olympics.
Mo Farah also missed out on a final gold last night as he only came second in the 5,000m to Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris.
A golden farewell was what Bolt deserved. But last weekend, when he had to settle for 100m bronze and drug cheat Justin Gatlin took his title, was proof enough that sport does not do fairy tales, not even for Bolt.
Here, we a look at five of his most memorable moments: BEIJING ARRIVAL A 21-year-old Bolt announced himself as track and field’s newest superstar with a brilliant world record to win 100m gold at the 2008 Olympics. Fuelled by a diet of chicken nuggets, he clocked 9.69 seconds, despite crossing the line with his shoelace undone. BERLIN BRILLIANCE Bolt cemented his status as the world’s greatest ever sprinter with two more eye-watering world records over 100m and 200m at the 2009 World Championships. He blazed to 9.58secs in the 100m - the biggest ever improvement in the 100m world record since electronic timing was introduced - and then took 0.11s off his 200m mark too, winning another gold in 19.19. DAEGU DISAPPOINTMENT Bolt’s hopes of defending his world 100m title in 2011 were dashed by a dramatic false start in the final. His response - gold in the 200m and 4x100m relay - was inevitable and emphatic. ‘LEGEND’ IN LONDON Bolt arrived at the 2012 Olympics looking to become the first man in history to defend both 100m and 200m titles and, in his words, become a ‘legend’ of the sport. He blitzed to 100m glory in 9.63 the second fastest time in history - and added 200m gold in 19.32. THE ‘SAVIOUR’ As doping and corruption scandals involving those at the very top of the sport left its credibility shredded, Bolt found himself cast as athletics’ ‘saviour’ in his sprint battles with two-time drug cheat Justin Gatlin. The Jamaican won both the 100m and 200m and then repeated the feat at the Olympics in Rio last year.