‘Start killed me’

London, UK - Usain Bolt was left ruing a disastrous start as his failure to fire saw American arch-rival Justin Gatlin poop what was supposed to be a party in his final 100m race at the world championships on Saturday. "My start is killing me," said Bolt.

"Normally it gets better during the rounds, but it didn't come together. And that is what killed me. I felt it was there."

Bolt had complained about the starting blocks in Friday's first round, and left himself too much to do after finding himself behind Coleman.

"It was rough," he said. "I was a little bit stressed. But I came out like at any other championships and I did my best. Thanks for the support. I could never expect this from any other crowd. They are what pushed me to do my best.

"The atmosphere was wonderful. I knew they would come out. I'm just disappointed I couldn't do better for them but that's how it goes sometimes."

There were no tears on Saturday despite suffering a shock defeat in his last appearance in an individual sprint.

But his legend remains intact. He won the 100m at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics as well as the 200m in those same years.

Bolt was also 100m world champion in 2009, 2013 and 2015; 200m champion in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

For good measure, he set the 100m world record of 9.58sec in 2009 and the 200m best of 19.19sec in the same year.

Gatlin said, "It's just so surreal right now - I jumped in the crowd and went wild."

He added, "Usain said, ' Congratulations, you deserve it.' And that's from the man himself. He knows how hard I work. Tonight was all about the W (win) and I managed to sneak it."

"I thought of all the things I would do if I won, and I didn't do any of that. It was almost like 2004 all over again."

It was in 2004 when Gatlin won the Olympic 100m title before going on to claim a world sprint double in 2005 and then falling foul of doping laws.

I was a little bit stressed. But I came out like at any other championships and I did my best Usain Bolt