Athletics
Bolt remains athletics' icon
2011-09-06 12:15
Cape Town – The 2011 IAAF World Athletic
Championships may have come and gone, but despite Usain Bolt relinquishing his
crown as the 100m World Champion, he still remains the sport’s most iconic
figure.
As John Weaver suggests in Tuesday’s Cape
Times, Bolt may have let go of the 100m crown, but clearly went out with a bang
in his 4x100m relay finals display, which clearly sent out a warning to other
pretenders, harbouring any thoughts of stealing away his Olympic title in
London next year.
After his dramatic disqualification from
the 100m final, in which countryman, Yohan Blake assumed Bolt’s title, Bolt
blitzed all-comers in the 200m, to defend the title he won in Berlin in 2009 in
the fourth quickest time over that distance.
The Trelawney-born athlete’s championships
only improved from there as he anchored the successful 4x100m Jamaican relay
team to gold in a new world record time.
Afterwards, Bolt reflected on the race as
well as his championships as a whole.
“We ended the championships on a good note.
We reminded ourselves about the Olympics. We focused on getting the baton all
around. When I saw the first two legs, I thought anything is possible and I ran
my best. I ended the championships very well. I started on a bad note, but I
ended on a good note,” he said.
Bolt reminded the world and opposition
alike that despite his obvious dismay at not retaining his title, as well as
his newfound ‘vulnerability’, there is a greater goal in mind.
“Next season, I should be ready and it
should not be a problem. The Olympics are going to be a big thing for me. I’m
going to be serious,” Bolt added.