Bolt makes history with incredible gold, takes aim at race organisers
Usain Bolt has blasted Olympic organisers for the short recovery time between races despite winning his third consecutive gold medal in the 100m.
The 29-year-old won in a time of 9.81sec to complete an historic three-peat of Olympic gold medals in the blue-riband event.
The time, however, was much slower than his world record of 9.58. It was the slowest 100m Olympics final since 2004.
And Bolt put this down to the quick turnaround, less than 80 minutes, between his semi final and the gold medal race.
The Jamaican pulled no punches when asked about why the race was sluggish.
"It was very hard to run fast because the turnaround time was really, really, really short," Bolt said.
"It was ridiculous as far as I was concerned because I felt so good in the semifinals. I was like 'yo, I probably could run a fast time’.
"But by the time you get back to the warm-up area and start warming up again, it's time to go back out.
"So for me it was really stupid. I don't know who decided that. It was really stupid. That's why the race was slow.”
Bolt completed the first leg of his historic triple triple by again besting his controversial American rival Justin Gatlin.
The Jamaican, who turns 30 on the day of the closing ceremony in Rio, had the race well in hand with 20 metres to run.
What a champion! Image: Getty
In what is expected to be his final Games, he has become the first runner to win the same individual Olympic event on three straight occasions.
American Gatlin appeared destined to upset the great Jamaican before Bolt turned on the jets to power across the line first.
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Gatlin secured silver (9.89) while Canada's Andre De Grasse (9.91) was third.
The Jamaican sprint king was made to work for this one after a sluggish start as Gatlin nailed his own burst from the blocks.
Image: 7Sport
Jamaican Yohan Blake had been billed as a challenger, but finished fourth.
"It's the most special because it's the third", Bolt said post-race.
"I told you guys I wanted to set myself apart from everybody else and this is the Olympics I had to do it.
"I came here focused and ready to go and it was brilliant."
The 34-year-old Gatlin is a highly divisive figure in the sport, having twice served doping bans.
The 2004 Olympic champion has now finished second to Bolt in the 100m at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and the two most recent world championships.
Bolt is chasing a historic triple triple in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m.
His efforts overshadowed what would otherwise have been the run of the night as South African Wayde van Niekerk beat the legendary Michael Johnson's world record in the 400m.
His time of 43.03 seconds stripped 0.15 off the world record set by Johnson back in 1999.
Defending champion Kirani James from Grenada was second in 43.76 and American LaShawn Merritt was third in 43.85 in a stunning race where four of the top six finishers set personal bests.
with AAP
