by Dr. Mathu H. Liyanage
Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates on the podium during the Victory Ceremony for the men’s 4 x 100m Relay on Day 15 of the London 2012 Olympic Games-pic: London2012.com
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, with five world and four Olympic gold medals came like a lightning thunderbolt from the grey skies in the UK to show that he is still the fastest man on the planet and the showman of the London Olympics 2012.
He achieved back to back wins in the 100m and 200m to attain Olympic and world records in both races, which enabled him to quip, “I am a living legend,” as he put himself in league with Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan. “I have done something no one has done before …so for me, I would say I am the greatest,” declared Bolt, with a smile on his face, with streams of warm sweat falling from his forehead.
Bolt’s record time was 9.63 seconds in the 100m and 19.32 in the 200m – the fastest in history – with his countrymen and trainers Yohan Blake and Warren Weir winning silver and bronze in 19.44 and 19.84, respectively in 200m.
A down-to-earth, energetic and engaging personality, Bolt rises from the Earth to grow tall and reach the skies every four years and comes back to land softly on the ground to cross the line with his index finger buttoning his lips, already playing with the crowd.
His victory celebrations included kissing the track, a somersault in the 100m, and 3 push-ups in the 200m and snatching a camera from a photographer to take a picture of Yohan Blake, amidst deafening cries of ‘Click’, ‘Click’ and thunderous applause from the tightly-crowded stadium with spectators displaying radiant smiles and cries of joy. – the showcase side of this greatest sprinter of all time.
He did not forget on both occasions to underline his prowess with his usual trademark pose (an arrow) directed towards the stadium.
Bolt is humble, courageous and friendly, the qualities he shows by doing victory laps with high-fives for front-row fans, shaking hands, kissing and having a friendly word or two with many of them.
Usain Bolt’s name will remain embedded in gold letters in the history of Olympic Games, for a long, long time, and will greatly inspire potential sprinters and every sportsperson of the world.
