FOR GOOD PADDLES TO A GOLD
to keep that in mind and keep the pace up at the back end of the race.
“I crossed the line, looked around and had an inkling I was in front, but when you see your name go up on the board it starts to sink in a bit.
“Essentially, this is what I’ve worked for all my life. I only came back into the sport in 2009 after leaving it without any thought of competing again. To think, if I hadn’t come back, I would have missed out on this is quite scary. “I came out of university twiddling my thumbs a little bit, not knowing where I wanted to go, and then 200m was announced USAIN BOLT was reminded of his age as he departed the Olympics a living legend.
A crowd waiting at the stadium door sang Happy Birthday to mark his 30th, which he celebrates today, before bursting into applause.
His race is run, the sporting immortality he craved is achieved. And even Father Time could not catch him.
“I hope I’ve set the bar high enough so no one can do it again,” Bolt said, as he savoured a ninth Olympic gold medal, giving him an unprecedenteddented “triple-triple”.
“I have a saying, ‘Nothing is impossible’. I’ve never set limits for myself. I’ve always pushed the barriers.
“I’ve worked hard every Olympics to win three gold medals. I’ve proven to the world I’m the greatest in thee sport. Unbeatable. It’s s mission accomplished.”
Victory in the sprint relay early on Saturday morning was inevitable, even before the United States were disqualified for a technical infringement.
Great Britain also made a dog’s dinner of it, finishing fifth in a time slower than they ran in London last month, having inexplicably chopped and changed their team.
No such issues for the smooth-as-silk Jamaicans, although Bolt later joked: “I told the guys that if they didn’t come through for me, I’d beat them up!”
Team Bolt romped home in 37.27 seconds and then mocked the hapless Americans by accusing them of bottling it under pressure.
“They’re more focused on beating us than trying to run a proper race,” scoffed Asafa Powell. Bolt is too global a brand to as an Olympic discipline and I’ve always been pretty nifty over that.
“A good friend of mine from Wey Kayak Club, Paul Dimmock, got me back in a boat, gave me a programme and taught me some key lessons about commitment and giving it everything in each session.
“I started to see improvements almost immediately. I committed full-time, jumped in a boat with be so undiplomatic. He sat back, wearing a contented look.
“Winning nine medals has taken hard work, sweat and sacrifice,” he said. “I’ve been through so much. It’s been all sweat and tears.”
Asked if he thought a career as successful as his was possible when he went to his first Olympics in Athens 12 years ago, he replied: “Not even close!”
Bolt was 17 at those Games and nursing a hamstring injury. He finished fifth in his first-round heat in 21.05secs. Five years later, he would run a world-record time of 19.19sec. “I’d have never thought then I could do bac back-to-back-to-back Olympics pics,” he added. “To come here an and do the third is just unbel lievable.”
There is a dif ficult conversation still to be had with Bolt. A retest of the s sample given in Beijing, in 2 2008, by relay team-mate N Nesta Carter has tested positi tive for a banned substance. Ja Jamaica are expected to be stripped of that gold medal.
“It definitely won’t tarnish my legacy,” Bolt insisted. “I’m in no stress. It would be disappointing, but it’s life. What are you going to do? I have no control on that.”
This is not quite the end. Bolt will continue until the World Championships in London next year, where he has committed to defending his 100m crown.
“It’s going to be hard to motivate myself to come back,” he admitted. “But I have one more year to do and I’m not going to let the fans down. As for the Olympics, though, sorry guys this is the last one.”
Or is it? Team- mate Yohan Blake revealed: “This is not Usain’s final Olympics. I’m going to encourage him to come back and do the long jump because he says he wants the record.” Jonny and we hit gold at our first World Cup.”
Schofield, who stayed on in Rio to help his co-paddler prepare for glory, said: “It’s so emotional to see one of your best friends do that. I have seen all the work he does and how much he deserves it.
“There were a few hearts in mouths in the stadium but, Liam being Liam, he just flew by them.”