Bolt will reign supreme

The 29-year-old Bolt blazed to Olympics glory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in new world record time of 9.69 secs. The timing was not the only stunning revelation but the comprehensive manner in which the Jamaican destroyed the opposition has left an indelible impression in the minds of those who witnessed the astounding achievement in the Bird’s Nest stadium and the hundreds of millions of those around the world whose eyes were glued to their television screens on that historic night on August 8, 2008.

The Bird’s Nest mondo track was the theatre of the unbelievable scenes in the premier men’s 100-metre as the lanky Bolt powered away from the other seven finalists and started his triumphant celebration with at least fifteen metres to the finish line. As the reigning world record-holder, Bolt broke his fluent stride pattern and used his right hand to beat his chest signalling to his rivals, cynics and doubters to declare that “I am the Olympics sprint champion, I am the Best, I am the new King of sprinting”.

There were moving scenes that triggered all sorts of reactions. While countless millions of people were in awe of his stupendous accomplishment, there were some people who felt that he should not have displayed such bravado while many others were still speculating that he could have lowered his own world record to a limit that will remain immortalised for history.

The cynics wanted him to be beaten in the 200-metre final but Bolt crushed their hopes and his rivals with another blistering world record-breaking performance in the 200-metre final and secured his second gold. And to top off the greatest sprinting achievement at any Olympics, together with his compatriots Michael Frater, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter they also won the sprint relay (4x100) gold in a new world record time.

Usain St Leo Bolt became the world’s most talked about sports personality and he has lived in the consciousness of billions of people who have adored him for his playfulness and entertaining antics before and after races. The likable Jamaican repeated the unique “treble Olympics sprint gold” at the 2012 London Olympics when he won the sprint double (100 and 200) plus the 4x100 relay gold in majestic fashion.

The incomparable Bolt is seeking to add further lustre to those golden achievements with another historic “treble” at the Rio Olympics. He has already declared that he is ready for all comers and once he remains is fully fit, we should all be witnesses to another amazing display of supreme sprinting power as he successfully defends his glorious titles.

In the 100-metre race for the “World’s Fastest Human Being” title at Beijing, Bolt was chased home by Trinidadian Richard Thompson who surprised everyone as he celebrated with the precious silver medal which also looked “golden” by the manner of his celebration. He had also achieved immortalised glory by being second to the world’s fastest human being.

Thompson reached the London Olympics 100-metre final but did not make the podium positions. As the current reigning Trinidad and Tobago sprint champion and national record-holder with 9.82 secs (2014 at Hasely Crawford Stadium), Thompson is also tracking history and hopes to accomplish the feat of making three finals in a row but more importantly to be among the medal winners in the most watched single global event every four years. All Trinidadians and Caribbean people basked in the glorious moment of having the world’s two best sprinters from the region.

It was the second time such momentous regional achievement was celebrated. Trinidadian Hasely Crawford and Jamaican Donald Quarrie stamped their world class sprinting abilities at the 1976 Montreal Olympics with the gold and silver respectively. At Beijing, the order was reversed but Bolt’s phenomenal power and gap that he opened up on his rivals was breath-taking and mind-boggling as he paraded infront of over 80,000 enthusiastic and shell-shocked spectators.

Thompson’s compatriot Keston Bledman, the national 100-metre runner-up and with a personal best of 9.84 secs (2013 and 2015 at Hasely Crawford Stadium); will also be attempting to go all the way and qualify for the final.

Based on their times for the 2016 season, both Thompson and Bledman will definitely reach the semi-finals but they will face some serious challengers who are also aspiring to achieve similar feats and even better by dethroning the world’s greatest sprinter in their quest for personal and eternal glory.

American speed merchants Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay, whose careers have been tainted with doping violations and suspended sentences; are still allowed to cast heavy shadows on the Olympics and they have been training and aiming to take down Bolt on the grandest of stage.

Galtin’s form makes him the biggest threat to Bolt’s world supremacy but his younger compatriot Trayvon Bromell has emerged as one of the most likely one to reach the podium as he did at last year’s IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing where he collected bronze together with Canada’s Andre DeGrasse as both clocked 9.92 secs for joint third place. Despite a troubled 2015 season, Bolt silenced his critics but moreso re-established himself as the world’s greatest sprinter by winning the gold in a season’s best time of 9.63 secs at the Beijing World’s 100-metre ahead of Gatlin (9.85) who has maintained excellent form throughout the 2016 season and must be regarded as the major challenger.

Blake, who also proved his world class sprinting ability; with double silver medal behind Bolt at the London Olympics is also coming back from injury which kept him out of competition for 2015 but bounced back into contention with sterling times and victories at the Jamaica senior champs where Bolt pulled out of the final because of hamstring injury that he had to attend to before flying to Brazil for another tryst with destiny and another chance to reign supreme.

Based on form and their world class sprinting abilities; Bolt will be challenged by Blake, Gatlin and Richard Thompson Bromell and Powell. DeGrasse has been off the radar but can re-emerge stronger while all Trinidadians will be praying and hoping that Thompson and Bledman also qualify for the final and be in position to chase Olympics glory.

The race for the title as the “Fastest Man on Planet Earth” will produce many emotions and another thrilling spectacle will be witnessed as Bolt and his rivals chase more historic deeds at the Rio Olympics