Bolt to double in Beijing
Dominating 200m victory in London for Usain Bolt (Getty Images)
relnews Just over a week ago in London, recently-minted 100m World record holder Usain Bolt told reporters, “I definitely want to double at the Olympics.” He said he would defer to coach Glen Mills for the final decision. Today the young Jamaican’s coach gave his star pupil the green light.
On top of his 9.72 World record* dash in New York City on 31 May, Bolt, still only 21, has dominated the 200m this season as well, producing the three fastest performances in the world, capped by 19.67 in Athens three weeks ago. That dash in the Greek capital was an Area record which propelled him to the No. 5 position all-time.
In the 100, he’s run the two quickest performances of the year, and three of the fastest six. In all he’s won nine of his ten races in the 100 and 200m. His only loss of the year came in Stockholm on 22 July, where Asafa Powell, the former World record holder, edged Bolt by a scant 0.01 seconds.
Double dash gold is one of the most coveted achievements not only in the Olympic Games, but in the entire world of sport. While many of the finest sprinters throughout history have tried, few have succeeded. Carl Lewis was the last to take victories in both, 24 years ago in Los Angeles. Others in the illustrious club include Valeriy Borzov (1972) of the Soviet Union, Americans Bobby Morrow (1956), Jesse Owens (1936), and Eddie Tolan (1932), Canadian Percy Williams (1928), and Americans Ralph Craig (1912) and Archie Hahn (1904).
