Rio 2016: Bolt cements legend status with another triple gold

The Americans only made it into the final under the most unusual of circumstances.

Victory was not guaranteed when Bolt took the baton for the anchor leg, but he powered down the straight to cross in 37.27sec before soaking up the acclaim from an adoring crowd.

Trayvon Bromell’s dip for the line was so aggressive that he stumbled over and the United States thought they were settling for bronze in 37.62.

Sure, he might have a few Olympic gold medals-that’s nine in three cycles; and a few world records- most popularly in the 100m and 200m events; but there is one “runner” that the Jamaican can’t outrun.

Usain Bolt is NOT the runaway victor for the “greatest” Olympic runner of all time and NOT the fastest human being alive as claimed by every sports fan.

“There you go, I am the greatest”, said Bolt on Friday, who this week said the Rio Olympics would be his last. “I’ve achieved all I wanted to in track and field”.

“I think the Americans are more focused on beating us than running a proper race”, Powell, the Jamaican leadoff man, said.

Bolt, who put Jamaica on the map by setting record after recordnow ends his stay in Rio, leaving an undisputed legacy in Olympic history.

The United States women’s sprint team brilliantly beat Jamaica to complete a remarkable comeback from disqualification.

Bartoletta was already waiting for Bowie for a wild embrace and to celebrate the second-fastest time in history behind the world record that Felix & Co. set in winning gold at the London Games. Felix is the first women athlete to reach five golds. The USA team which actually finished before the Canadians, when they were disqualified due to baton change outside the box.

‘It felt like we were really strong tonight.

“There you go”, he said. In the pole vault Sandi Morris missed her third attempt at 4.90 meters by the smallest margin, allowing Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece to win with 4.85 on a countback. There was an upset as Vivian Cheruiyot powered past slumping favorite Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia and set an Olympic record of 14 minutes, 26.17 seconds. But on Saturday, the seven-time major victor took command with a 5-under 66 and won a gold medal.

The 32-year-old American claimed that he was “robbed at gunpoint” in Rio and that the culprits were allegedly fake Brazilian police officers.

‘The commission members can ask to hear the swimmers and we will see if there is material for a sanction, ‘ an International Olympic Committee official told AFP.

Sindhu was not too disappointed.

“All of the Olympics are special to me, without any of them it wouldn’t be the same”. But the efforts of the Olympic week appeared to catch up with her as she slumped late in the Saturday night race.

In stifling heat, world champion Matej Toth won a gruelling 50km walk littered with casualties including France’s Yohann Diniz, who soldiered on to finish seventh despite severe intestinal problems.

Australia lost to Serbia 87-61 and will face Spain for the bronze.

Another 30 golds will be up for grabs Saturday when Brazil’s soccer star Neymar takes centre-stage as his country play Germany in the final. The atmosphere at the Maracana Stadium figures to be electric.

“I’ll have to make a new bucket list now”, Bolt said. Caster Semenya of South Africa won the Olympic title in the 800 meters with no one close to challenging her. Mo Farah of Britain became the first runner in 40 years to win back-to-back long-distance doubles at the Olympics by taking gold in the men’s 5,000 meters.