RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Usain Bolt continues to create history. The 29-year-old sprinter won the Rio 2016 Olympics 200m dash on Thursday, Aug 18.
In what he says will be his last Olympic Games individual race, Bolt again showed his class by dismantling the field to take victory in 19.78 seconds, a season best.
A true legend of the sport, Bolt ran a powerful curve and separated himself early from the field.
The 6ft 4 inch tall sprinter, powered his way down the homestretch, from his preferred lane 6, leaving the chasing pack of Canadian, Andre de Grasse, American, LaShawn Merritt, Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre, Alonzo Edward of Panama, to fight for the minor places.
De Grasse, who Bolt told during the semi-finals to save his legs for the final, finished best of the chasing pack in 20.02 and Lemaitre, third in 19.20.02.
The victory means Bolt has completed the sprint double in Rio and became the first man to win three straight sprint double titles.
Bolt’s impressive journey started when he topped the 100m (9.69) and 200m (19.30) at the Beijing Games in 2008 and defended both with 9.63 and 19.32 in London 2012.
The world sprint double record holder 9.58 (100m) and 19.19 (200m) has now won eight Olympic Games gold medals – six individual and two relays. He has a chance to win his 9th gold tomorrow, as Jamaica attempts a third straight 4x100m crown.