Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt tonight secured the legendary status he craved by becoming the first man ever to win the Olympic Games sprint double twice in succession.
The fastest man in the world strikes his signature pose
Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates after winning gold in the men's 200m Final on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium.
Usain Bolt of Jamaica
Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 200m final on Day 13 at London 2012.
While millions would already consider Bolt a legend for winning triple gold in Beijing and defending his 100m title at London 2012 last Sunday, the Jamaican insisted he also had to retain his 200m title to achieve such status.
And the 25-year-old did precisely that with another imperious performance, leading a Jamaican clean-sweep ahead of 100m silver medallist Yohan Blake and Warren Weir, both of whom are just 22.
Bolt's winning time of 19.32 was outside his own world record of 19.19.
******
******
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
| Olympic Games | ||||
| 1 | 100m | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 9.69 |
| 1 | 200m | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 19.30 |
| 1 | 4 x 100m Relay | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 37.10 |
| Heats | 200m | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 21.05 |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | 200m | 2011 | Daegu, KOR | 19.40 |
| 1 | 4 x 100m Relay | 2011 | Daegu, KOR | 37.04 |
| 1 | 100m | 2009 | Berlin, GER | 9.58 |
| 1 | 200m | 2009 | Berlin, GER | 19.19 |
| 1 | 4 x 100m Relay | 2009 | Berlin, GER | 37.31 |
| 2 | 200m | 2007 | Osaka, JPN | 19.91 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Relay | 2007 | Osaka, JPN | 37.89 |
| 8 | 100m | 2011 | Daegu, KOR | DSQ |
| Diamond League | ||||
| 1 | 100m | 2012 | Oslo, NOR | 9.79 |
| 1 | 100m | 2012 | Rome, ITA | 9.76 |
| 1 | 100m | 2011 | Monaco, MON | 9.88 |
| 1 | 100m | 2011 | Rome, ITA | 9.91 |
| 1 | 200m | 2011 | Stockholm, SWE | 20.03 |
| 1 | 200m | 2011 | Paris Saint-Denis, FRA | 20.03 |
| 1 | 200m | 2011 | Oslo, NOR | 19.86 |
| 1 | 100m | 2010 | Paris Saint-Denis, FRA | 9.84 |
| 1 | 200m | 2010 | Shanghai, CHN | 19.76 |
| 2 | 100m | 2010 | Stockholm, SWE | 9.97 |
| Golden League | ||||
| 1 | 100m | 2009 | Zurich, SUI | 9.81 |
| 1 | 100m | 2009 | Paris Saint-Denis, FRA | 9.79 |
| 1 | 200m | 2009 | Brussels, BEL | 19.57 |
| 1 | 100m | 2008 | Brussels, BEL | 9.77 |
| 1 | 100m | 2008 | Zurich, SUI | 9.83 |
| World Challenge | ||||
| 1 | 100m | 2012 | Ostrava, CZE | 10.04 |
| 1 | 100m | 2012 | Kingston, JAM | 9.82 |
| 1 | 100m | 2011 | Zagreb, CRO | 9.85 |
| 1 | 100m | 2011 | Ostrava, CZE | 9.91 |
| 1 | 100m | 2010 | Daegu, KOR | 9.86 |
| 1 | 300m | 2010 | Ostrava, CZE | 30.97 |
| Super Grand Prix | ||||
| 1 | 100m | 2009 | London, GBR | 9.91 |
| 1 | 200m | 2009 | Lausanne, SUI | 19.59 |
| 1 | 200m | 2008 | Lausanne, SUI | 19.63 |
| Grand Prix | ||||
| 1 | 100m | 2009 | Ostrava, CZE | 9.77 |
Nickname
Lightning Bolt. (Track and Field News, 01 Sep 2003)
Hobbies
Watching basketball, playing dominoes, listening to Jamaican dancehall music, dancing and partying. (Jamaican Athletics, 14 Oct 2003; bbc.co.uk, 18 Aug 2008; smh.com.au, 06 Sep 2011)
Occupation
Athlete
Club name
Racers Athletic Club, Kingston, JAM
Glen Mills from 2004 (espn.co.uk, 29 Dec 2011)
Debut
2004 for Jamaica, Olympic Games (Athens) (nbcolympics.com, 10 May 2012)
Injuries
An injured Achilles tendon in his left ankle kept him out of competition for five weeks in 2010. He returned to action at the Diamond League event in Lausanne in July beforeback problems brought his year to an end in August. (bbc.co.uk, 08 Jul 2010, 06 Aug 2010; dailymail.co.uk, 24 May 2011)
In April 2009 he crashed his BMW M3 on a wet road outside of Kingston. The car overturned, rolled into a ditch and was severely damaged. Neither he, his brother nor a female passenger were seriously injured, although he was treated for scratches and a minor foot injury. He missed about a month of training and competition. (guardian.co.uk, 01 May 2009; nbcolympics.com, 10 May 2012)
He was forced to miss the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia with a hamstring injury. (usainbolt.com, 17 Aug 2009)
In April 2009 he crashed his BMW M3 on a wet road outside of Kingston. The car overturned, rolled into a ditch and was severely damaged. Neither he, his brother nor a female passenger were seriously injured, although he was treated for scratches and a minor foot injury. He missed about a month of training and competition. (guardian.co.uk, 01 May 2009; nbcolympics.com, 10 May 2012)
He was forced to miss the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia with a hamstring injury. (usainbolt.com, 17 Aug 2009)
Additional information
Start of sporting career
He started sprinting during his days at William Knibb Memorial High School in Trelawny, Jamaica. (jamaica-gleaner.com, 18 Aug 2008)
Reason for taking up this sport
He played cricket for his school as his height made him a natural fast bowler. The cricket coach recognised he was also quick on his feet and suggested he try sprinting. (sherbrooke2003.ca, 24 Sep 2003)
Ambitions
To become a legend. (bbc.co.uk, 20 Aug 2009)
Training
He works on a cyclical training basis. At the start of a season he works on strength development before concentrating on coordination and biomechanical execution as the season develops. (usainbolt.com, 10 May 2012)
Hero
The United States' world and Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson and Jamaica's Olympic champions Herb McKenley - who won gold in the 4x400m at the 1952 Helsinki Games, and Don Quarrie - who won gold in the 200m at the 1976 Montreal Games. "If you sit and watch Don Quarrie, he is one of the smoothest bend runners ever." (bbc.co.uk, 18 Aug 2008)
Most influential person in career
Coach Glen Mills. "He is like a father figure to me," he said. "He has never done me any wrong and he has always made the right decisions. He is a guiding light and he has shown me the way to improve myself both as a person and as an athlete." (AFP, 24 Nov 2008)
Superstitions / Rituals
"The night before [a race] I decide what I need to do. Then on the day I just try to relax, think about other stuff, maybe cars or something. If you think about racing too much you may just lose it a little bit." (bbc.co.uk, 18 Aug 2008)
Awards
In recognition of his achievements, he has received various titles from the Jamaican government, as well as an honorary degree from the University of West Indies. With all honorifics, his official title is: Dr the Honourable Ambassador Usain St Leo Bolt, OJ. (jamaica-gleaner.com, 05 Oct 2008; smh.com.au, 06 Sep 2011; jis.gov.jm, 10 May 2012)
He has been conferred a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] Champion for Sport. (jis.gov.jm, 10 May 2012)
He received the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in 2008, 2009 and 2011. (iaaf.org, 12 Nov 2011)
He was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2009 and 2010. (laureus.com, 10 May 2012)
General
WHEELY BAD DRIVER
He has been involved in a few accidents since rising to prominence. In 2009 he crashed a BMW car into a ditch along a highway. He was forced to have surgery on his left foot after stepping on thorns while walking away from the wreck. Then, in June 2012, he lost control of another BMW and collided with guard rails early in the morning after leaving a party. He was unharmed. (AP, 10 Jun 2012)
STARTING OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT
In the months before the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he spoke out against the new starting blocks, saying they did not suit him. "The blocks have changed from last season. They're new models. Personally I think they need to go back to the old blocks," he said. "I'm not very pleased with the new blocks they have, they're a little short for me." He wears UK size 13 shoes. (AFP, 10 Jun 2012)
2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
A false start eliminated him from the 100m final at the 2011 World Championships and focussed sharp criticism on the IAAF's zero-tolerance false start rule inaugurated in 2010. After cooling down on the practice track, he told reporters the mishap wasn't going to affect him. "Looking for tears?" he said. "Not going to happen. I'm OK." Days later he put the disappointment behind him to successfully defended his 200m title, claiming gold in 19.40. (espn.go.com, 28 Aug 2011; daegu2011.iaaf.org, 03 Sep 2011)
UNCONVENTIONAL
In his 2010 biography 'Usain Bolt: 9.58' he revealed that he doesn't consider himself a conventional athlete and could run even faster if he could be bothered to live a more disciplined lifestyle. "I'm so lucky that I'm raw talent," he said. "If I really worked at it I could be extremely good indeed, but I never have. Yes, I put the effort in at times, but I could do more. If I train right, eat right, go to the gym all the time and dedicate myself 100 per cent then I definitely will do crazy times. It's hard, I don't know how some sportsmen do it, I do what I like, stay up until whatever time I feel like, socialise when I like and eat what I like. I don't follow any of the rules." (smh.com.au, 06 Sep 2011)
2009 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
He set a 100m world record of 9.58 at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, bettering his own record by 0.11 seconds - the biggest single improvement of the record since 1921. He then went on to set a new 200m world record of 19.19 seconds, again bettering his own record by 0.11, to become the first man to hold the 100m and 200m world and Olympic titles at the same time. "I definitely showed people that my world records in Beijing were not a joke," he said. To mark his achievements Berlin mayor, Klaus Wowereit, presented him with a 12-foot tall original section of the Berlin Wall. (abc.net.au, 17 Aug 2009; berlin.iaaf.org, 16 Aug 2009; bbc.co.uk, 20 Aug 2009; sports.espn.go.com, 23 Aug 2009)
2008 OLYMPIC GAMES
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games he became the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100m and 200m races in world record times, but received criticism from IOC president Jacques Rogge for showing a lack of respect to his competitors for celebrating before crossing the line in the 100m. "I would love him to show more respect for his competitors," Rogge said. "That's not the way we perceive being a champion. I understand the joy, but he might have interpreted that in another way. He'll learn. He's still a young man." (cbc.ca, 20 Aug 2008; usainbolt.com, 17 Aug 2009; sports.aol.com, 10 May 2012)
FRIES WITH THAT?
After setting a new 100m world record at the 2009 World Championships he revealed some unusual nutritional preparation. "Asafa [Powell] said there was no nuggets here [in Berlin] but I found a McDonald's and I had a lot of nuggets for lunch," he said. He also admitted that during his record runs at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games he was eating up to 15 chicken nuggets at least once a day. (news.com.au, 17 Aug 2009; smh.com.au, 06 Sep 2011)<
He started sprinting during his days at William Knibb Memorial High School in Trelawny, Jamaica. (jamaica-gleaner.com, 18 Aug 2008)
Reason for taking up this sport
He played cricket for his school as his height made him a natural fast bowler. The cricket coach recognised he was also quick on his feet and suggested he try sprinting. (sherbrooke2003.ca, 24 Sep 2003)
Ambitions
To become a legend. (bbc.co.uk, 20 Aug 2009)
Training
He works on a cyclical training basis. At the start of a season he works on strength development before concentrating on coordination and biomechanical execution as the season develops. (usainbolt.com, 10 May 2012)
Hero
The United States' world and Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson and Jamaica's Olympic champions Herb McKenley - who won gold in the 4x400m at the 1952 Helsinki Games, and Don Quarrie - who won gold in the 200m at the 1976 Montreal Games. "If you sit and watch Don Quarrie, he is one of the smoothest bend runners ever." (bbc.co.uk, 18 Aug 2008)
Most influential person in career
Coach Glen Mills. "He is like a father figure to me," he said. "He has never done me any wrong and he has always made the right decisions. He is a guiding light and he has shown me the way to improve myself both as a person and as an athlete." (AFP, 24 Nov 2008)
Superstitions / Rituals
"The night before [a race] I decide what I need to do. Then on the day I just try to relax, think about other stuff, maybe cars or something. If you think about racing too much you may just lose it a little bit." (bbc.co.uk, 18 Aug 2008)
Awards
In recognition of his achievements, he has received various titles from the Jamaican government, as well as an honorary degree from the University of West Indies. With all honorifics, his official title is: Dr the Honourable Ambassador Usain St Leo Bolt, OJ. (jamaica-gleaner.com, 05 Oct 2008; smh.com.au, 06 Sep 2011; jis.gov.jm, 10 May 2012)
He has been conferred a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] Champion for Sport. (jis.gov.jm, 10 May 2012)
He received the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in 2008, 2009 and 2011. (iaaf.org, 12 Nov 2011)
He was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in 2009 and 2010. (laureus.com, 10 May 2012)
General
WHEELY BAD DRIVER
He has been involved in a few accidents since rising to prominence. In 2009 he crashed a BMW car into a ditch along a highway. He was forced to have surgery on his left foot after stepping on thorns while walking away from the wreck. Then, in June 2012, he lost control of another BMW and collided with guard rails early in the morning after leaving a party. He was unharmed. (AP, 10 Jun 2012)
STARTING OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT
In the months before the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he spoke out against the new starting blocks, saying they did not suit him. "The blocks have changed from last season. They're new models. Personally I think they need to go back to the old blocks," he said. "I'm not very pleased with the new blocks they have, they're a little short for me." He wears UK size 13 shoes. (AFP, 10 Jun 2012)
2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
A false start eliminated him from the 100m final at the 2011 World Championships and focussed sharp criticism on the IAAF's zero-tolerance false start rule inaugurated in 2010. After cooling down on the practice track, he told reporters the mishap wasn't going to affect him. "Looking for tears?" he said. "Not going to happen. I'm OK." Days later he put the disappointment behind him to successfully defended his 200m title, claiming gold in 19.40. (espn.go.com, 28 Aug 2011; daegu2011.iaaf.org, 03 Sep 2011)
UNCONVENTIONAL
In his 2010 biography 'Usain Bolt: 9.58' he revealed that he doesn't consider himself a conventional athlete and could run even faster if he could be bothered to live a more disciplined lifestyle. "I'm so lucky that I'm raw talent," he said. "If I really worked at it I could be extremely good indeed, but I never have. Yes, I put the effort in at times, but I could do more. If I train right, eat right, go to the gym all the time and dedicate myself 100 per cent then I definitely will do crazy times. It's hard, I don't know how some sportsmen do it, I do what I like, stay up until whatever time I feel like, socialise when I like and eat what I like. I don't follow any of the rules." (smh.com.au, 06 Sep 2011)
2009 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
He set a 100m world record of 9.58 at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, bettering his own record by 0.11 seconds - the biggest single improvement of the record since 1921. He then went on to set a new 200m world record of 19.19 seconds, again bettering his own record by 0.11, to become the first man to hold the 100m and 200m world and Olympic titles at the same time. "I definitely showed people that my world records in Beijing were not a joke," he said. To mark his achievements Berlin mayor, Klaus Wowereit, presented him with a 12-foot tall original section of the Berlin Wall. (abc.net.au, 17 Aug 2009; berlin.iaaf.org, 16 Aug 2009; bbc.co.uk, 20 Aug 2009; sports.espn.go.com, 23 Aug 2009)
2008 OLYMPIC GAMES
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games he became the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100m and 200m races in world record times, but received criticism from IOC president Jacques Rogge for showing a lack of respect to his competitors for celebrating before crossing the line in the 100m. "I would love him to show more respect for his competitors," Rogge said. "That's not the way we perceive being a champion. I understand the joy, but he might have interpreted that in another way. He'll learn. He's still a young man." (cbc.ca, 20 Aug 2008; usainbolt.com, 17 Aug 2009; sports.aol.com, 10 May 2012)
FRIES WITH THAT?
After setting a new 100m world record at the 2009 World Championships he revealed some unusual nutritional preparation. "Asafa [Powell] said there was no nuggets here [in Berlin] but I found a McDonald's and I had a lot of nuggets for lunch," he said. He also admitted that during his record runs at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games he was eating up to 15 chicken nuggets at least once a day. (news.com.au, 17 Aug 2009; smh.com.au, 06 Sep 2011)<
Previous Olympics
Beijing 2008, Athens 2004
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