The Jerusalem Post

Injury floors Bolt and ruins final farewell at World Championsh­ips

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LONDON (Reuters) – Usain Bolt’s unparallel­ed career ended in extraordin­ary drama on Saturday as he pulled up with injury on the anchor leg of his very last race, the 4x100 meters relay final at the World Championsh­ips.

The 30-year-old had taken the baton for Jamaica a few meters adrift of the two leaders when, straining hard to catch them, he stopped abruptly with cramp in his left hamstring, began hobbling and tumbled to a halt after a forward roll.

As Britain went on to win gold, Bolt lay on his back in his lane, his head in hands, being tended to by medics as one waited with a wheelchair to help push him off the track.

Yet the sport’s greatest entertaine­r was determined that one of the finest careers in sport was not going to end with him in a wheelchair.

So the fastest man of all-time, surrounded by his three worried team mates, Omar McLeod, Julian Forte and Yohan Blake, rose gingerly to his feet and limped the last 30 meters to the line.

The official result recorded that the Jamaicans did not finish but Bolt had been absolutely determined to ensure he completed the last race after a matchless career in which he won 19 major championsh­ip gold medals.

Typically, Bolt’s only thoughts were with the team mates he felt he had let down.

“He kept apologizin­g to us but we told him there was no need to apologize,” Forte said. “Injuries are part of the sport.”

McLeod added: “It just happened - Usain Bolt’s name will always live on.”

Justin Gatlin, the American winner of the individual 100 meters who had consigned Bolt to third place in his final individual race last Saturday, paid tribute to his rival.

“I think it was the elements (that caused the injury). I’m sorry he got this injury. He is still the best in the world,” Gatlin said.

“This is farewell time, I am sentimenta­l about it already now. In the warm-up area, we give ourselves respect and greeted each other. Usain Bolt is a great athlete.”

Kevin Jones, the Jamaican team doctor, said Bolt had suffered cramp in his left hamstring.

Blake was angry at having to wait for two medal ceremonies to take place before the race.

“It was 40 minutes and two medal presentati­ons before our run ... we were kept 40 minutes. It was crazy,” Blake said. “They were holding us too long.”

“We keep warming up and waiting, then warming up and waiting. I think it got the better of us.

“It hurts to see a true legend, a true champion go out there and struggle like that.”

Jamaican team manager Ian Forbes praised Bolt for “going out there and giving his all” and added that the squad were “very saddened.”

“The diagnostic work will be done shortly to determine how serious it is. He was able to walk to the team bus so hopefully that signals it’s not as serious as it possibly could be,” Forbes said.

With the 56,000-strong crowd going wild about the British victory, there was still time for them to hail the sport’s favorite performer, who waved to them a mite forlornly while hobbling away from the track.

Five years ago, almost to the very night, British distance running hero Mo Farah had broken into Bolt’s lightning bolt pose in this same stadium and the Jamaican had reciprocat­ed with the Briton’s trademark “Mobot” to mark their joyous supremacy at the London Olympics.

Yet in the same stadium on Saturday, they attempted in vain to reprise that triumphant night, Farah ending up with silver in his final track race, over 5,000 meters, and Bolt suffering his anti-climactic farewell.

Their leaving of the track scene leaves a void in the sport that does not look like being filled any time soon.

Farah’s aura of invincibil­ity after six years of unrelentin­g success was finally cracked in his very last major track race on Saturday as he lost his world 5,000 meters title to Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris.

Seeking a fitting end to his matchless long-distance racing career before moving to marathon running, the 34-year-old Briton’s bid for a fifth straight global 10,000/5,000m double was scuppered as he had to settle for the silver.

Yet even in defeat, Farah demonstrat­ed his champion’s spirit as he fought back in the dying meters when it looked as if he would be shut out of the medals completely.

In a thrilling finale featuring four athletes careering towards the line, Farah snatched back second place behind Edris, who clocked 13 minutes 32.79 seconds after a searing final lap of 52.6 seconds.

“I gave it all but I had nothing left at the end,” a crestfalle­n and emotional Farah said.

“It’s been a long journey but it’s been incredible. It doesn’t quite sink in until you compete here and cross the line – I had a couple of minutes to myself – that this is it.”

“To be honest with you it takes so much out of me. It’s not an excuse, but it took a lot more out of me than I realized.”

 ?? (Reuters) ?? USAIN BOLT of Jamaica ends his career with an injury during the 4x100 meters relay final at the World Championsh­ips.
(Reuters) USAIN BOLT of Jamaica ends his career with an injury during the 4x100 meters relay final at the World Championsh­ips.
 ?? Avishai) (Adi ?? GUARD GAL MEKEL was Israel’s top scorer with 16 points in last night’s win over Great Britain at the Drive-In Arena in Tel Aviv.
Avishai) (Adi GUARD GAL MEKEL was Israel’s top scorer with 16 points in last night’s win over Great Britain at the Drive-In Arena in Tel Aviv.
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