Usain Bolt has officially earned the title of Legend.
The remarkable athlete who turns 30 tomorrow led the Jamaican team to gold in the 4 X 100-m relay in a time of 37.27. The race was tight until Bolt who ran the anchor leg grabbed the baton. There was no stopping him afterwards as he exploded ahead of the field to win his 9th gold medal, the third straight gold in the event for the Jamaicans.
Japan however was the team that surprised everyone during the race. The Asians ran a time of 37.60 to edge out the favored United States team for silver. The U.S., Jamaica’s longtime rivals in the relay, finished in a time of 37.62.
After the race, the American sprinters circled the track, draped with flags celebrating their bronze. Unfortunately more than 10 minutes later they learned that the bronze was no longer theirs. On the Americans’ first exchange, between Mike Rodgers and Justin Gatlin, they were judged to have passed the baton outside the exchange zone. Their disqualification gave Canada who originally finished in 4th, a place on the podium.
Bolt in completing the ‘treble’ has swept the 100-m, 200-m, and 4 X 100-m relays in each of the past three Olympics. He owns world records in all three–having run 9.58 seconds in the 100-m at the 2009 worlds in Berlin, a 19.19 in the 200 at the same competition, and 36.84 with his Jamaican teammates at the 2012 London Olympics.
After the race, the Jamaican team circled the field, danced the samba and basked in the adoration of the crowd after another gold medal. 
Speaking to the BBC, the team said about their winning :
Asafa Powell: “It was never in doubt. We went out there very confident. We are a team and we love competing on the track. I love running with these guys. We are here to relax, we are very confident we just want to get the stick in that man’s hands.”
Nickel Ashmeade: “We went out there and executed it and did well.”
Yohan Blake: “That was all of us. Usain need to be immortal and he is immortal. I will encourage him to come back for 2020.”
Usain Bolt: “I am proud of myself and I have to say thanks to the guys. The pressure is real. I look at it as accomplishment. I live for these moments, it is beautiful and I came through. I’ll go home, stay up late tonight talking and having fun. It is not real. It is a brilliant feeling. I told the guys if it didn’t happen tonight I would beat them up. I am the greatest.”
Other than Usain, I am particularly happy Yohan Blake. Blake who won Silver in the 100 and 200 meters behind bolt in 2012 prior to the relay has had a good outing. The 26 year old aka ‘the beast’ finished 4th behind Canada’s Andre De Grasse and didn’t even make it to the finals of the 200m. It’s refreshing that he finally takes home a gold after what must have been a disappointing outing for him.
Meanwhile apart from Japan who surprised everyone by winning silver in the relay, Canada’s Andre De Grasse is probably one of the happiest men at the Olympics as we speak.
The 21 year old at his first Olympics managed to win a bronze medal in the 100m only behind two of the worlds best Justin Gatlin(Gold in Athens 2004, Bronze in London 2012, Silver in Rio 2016) and of course the Greatest of all time Usain Bolt. He also won a silver medal in the 200m behind Usain Bolt and anchored his team to a Bronze( after the US was disqualified). He no doubt achieved his own version of the ‘triple’ which in the next four years could be a gold medal all round. A big star of the future, I predict.
Big Congrats to Usain. The greatest track athlete of all time!!!🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅⚡️⚡️⚡️
Congratulations to the God of tracks, Usain “The Thunder” Bolt…