Bolt cements case as greatest athlete of all time
It shouldn't have been possible for Usain Bolt to capture 100 and 200m gold for the third consecutive Olympics. Conventional wisdom suggests there's a finite window for an elite sprinter to capitalize upon - an adage that's never dawned on the world's fastest man. By fending off the deepest pool in history, as well as the macabre nature of time itself, Bolt proved his case as the greatest athlete of all time.
If there ever was an optimal time to dethrone Bolt, Sunday night at the Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange was it. Bolt suffered a Grade 1 hamstring tear on July 1 that briefly threatened his participation at Rio 2016, but he allayed fears three weeks later by capturing the 200m at the London Anniversary Games with a 19.89 mark.
Still, his opponents incorrectly saw Rio as an opportunity to pounce on the legend. Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse said prior to Sunday's race that he felt he had a "good chance" to take him down. Bolt's primary rival Justin Gatlin said he wouldn't allow himself to become a "subdued character," fighting the ominous shadow the 29-year-old Jamaican casts. World-class sprinting inherently permits braggadocio, but Bolt relegated their claims to mere banter on the track, defending his title while flashing his trademark million-watt smile, coming in at 9.81. Gatlin lagged behind, finishing second at 9.89, while De Grasse posted a personal-best 9.91 en route to winning bronze.
Bolt never lost a race of any importance, save for his disqualification from the 100m at the 2011 World Championships due to a false start. Momentarily dejected, Bolt redirected the conversation toward himself with a stunning 19.40 in the 200m, then anchored his country's 4x100 team to a then-world record 37.04 time where his competition couldn't be found in the winning frame. Simply, losing is only a theoretical possibility for Bolt. Why would the Olympic stage be any different?
In truth, Bolt's best form is long behind him. It's been seven years since Bolt advanced his sport by quantum leaps, when he set world records in the 100 and 200m at the 2009 Worlds in Berlin. Bolt reached his apex years ago, but the air of invincibility still surrounded him as he stepped on the track vying for gold Sunday and again on Thursday. No longer at his groundbreaking best, Bolt outlasted Gatlin and 2012 double silver medalist Yohan Blake, both of whom failed to qualify for the 200m final. He's no longer racing against his opponents anymore, rather the intangible force of history.
Bolt is chasing an unprecedented "triple-triple," with the 4x100 relay the only event standing in his way. Before he added the 100m to his repertoire, Bolt emerged as a 200m specialist, and proved Thursday there's no one in history that can navigate the curve and the final 100 meters as he does, winning the race with a time of 19.78. Anchoring the Jamaican 4x100 quartet, Bolt is the starring component of one of the world's most underrated teams irrespective of sport. A victory Friday would be a fitting ending to the greatest career in sports history. With the rest of the world watching, this week is centered around and will belong to Bolt.
Often, writers reach for the trope of relatability in order to make their subjects appear more human or ordinary. In many respects, Bolt is unlike anyone the world's ever seen, running past his adversaries with unmatched, elongated strides, while towering over the pack at 6-foot-5. However, Bolt's bravado, unabated happiness, and philanthropic efforts are traits that embody the model superstar. Although he looms as a physical impossibility, Bolt's joie de vivre serves as a universal model to appropriate.
"Somebody said I can become immortal," Bolt told reporters following Sunday's triumph. "Two more medals to go and I can sign off. Immortal."
In capturing his third consecutive Olympic gold medal in both the 100 and 200m, Bolt is no longer competing against the field, instead looking to further solidify his title as the greatest athlete of all time and a shot at immortality.