Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt won, again – strolling to gold in the men’s 200m Olympic final in 19.78s.
Bolt, after winning the 100m handily over Justin Gatlin and Andre De Grasse – asserted his total dominance once again with an effortless (he makes it look effortless) run to the finish.
He beat out De Grasse again, who took silver this time, with France’s Christophe Lemaitre finishing with the bronze medal. Justin Gatlin did not participate after failing to make it past one of the heats.
This becomes Bolt’s third successive Olympic 200m gold, his eighth overall, and leaves him just one win short of completing the improbable triple-triple – gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m for three successive games. It’s a record that would truly be difficult to see surpassed should he complete it when the final of the 4X100 is held Saturday.
Bolt, who is retiring next year, declared after the race that he believes he has entered the top bracket of greatest sportsmen now, and has nothing left to prove.
“I don’t need to prove anything else. What else can I do to prove to the world I am the greatest?” he said.
“I am trying to be one of the greatest. Be among [Muhammad] Ali and Pelé. I hope to be in that bracket after these Games.”
You already are mate.