Usain Bolt eyes 'possible' 200m world record in Rio after convincing London win
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Updated 22/07/2016 at 21:35 GMT
Usain Bolt produced an emphatic response at the Anniversary Games following the fitness doubts which have plagued the last few weeks of his preparation for Rio, writes Dan Quarrell at London's Olympic Stadium.
Jamaica's Usain Bolt creates his 'Lightning Bolt' pose as he celebrates winning the men's 200m at the IAAF Diamond League Anniversary Games athletics meeting at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park stadium in Stratford, east London on July 22, 2016
Image credit: AFP
Hamstring injury? What hamstring injury? In what was his first race back following a hamstring injury which forced him to withdraw from Jamaica's Olympic trials as recently as July 1, Bolt stormed to victory at London's Anniversary Games in a time of 19.89 seconds.
Eyeing an unprecedented and unbelievable 'triple triple' if he can replicate his Beijing and London success in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, Bolt always knew he needed to be in peak shape to shine in Rio, and he looks to be in fine fettle ahead of the Games which are now tantalisingly close.
Bolt has always thrived when competing in London and, in the stadium he won the last three of his six Olympic medals, he maintained his unbeaten record in the city with a real flourish, pulling away from the field with consummate ease.
Since June, three men have gone sub-20 for the 200m, including Canada’s Brendon Rodney, who arguably represented Bolt's major rival in London alongside 2009 world silver medallist Alonso Edward and fellow Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade. But when Bolt is fit and sharp, it all just feels like background noise.
Bolt has said he gets recognised more in Britain than anywhere else in the world and cherishes his 'home away from home' where he bases himself to train through the European summer and even the reception when a pick-up truck drove him around the track slower than he could jog it brought much of the Olympic Stadium to its feet.
When Bolt was introduced to the fans before the race amid flash-bulbs, shrieks and cheers, it was abundantly clear that a legendary superstar was fulfilling the dreams of many a kid out with their parents late on a Friday night.
This was more significant for the Jamaican than simply coasting through another Diamond League 100m, it was the first time this season that he has competed in a 200m – his favourite event, but one which put his fitness, and hamstring, to the test at just the right time.
Bolt was asked if he could break his own 2009 world record of 19.19 seconds in the 200m in Rio and said, it's possible. With this likely to be his final Olympic Games, he will be as desperate as anyone to go out in real style.
The fact that he has come through his final competitive race before the Games will have given him reassurance a year after he won the 200m at the World Championships in 19.55 seconds in Beijing last year.
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"The 200m is my preferred event and I think I can still run faster over the distance before the end of my career," Bolt said in London, providing the mouth-watering prospect that he could improve his world record.
"I am feeling good and injury free. I will travel to the Jamaican team training camp in Rio for another two to three weeks' training before the big event kicks off."
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Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt
Image credit: Reuters
The race in London will have given Bolt a tremendous amount of encouragement following his injury setback and in competing for the first time this season in his favourite event as he eyes what would be a remarkable feat in the form of the 'triple triple'.
"I have had a great career so far but I want to keep winning medals,” Bolt exclusively told Eurosport earlier this year.
"As I always say I never focus on any one individual. I respect all my opponents but I know if I am fit and healthy that I will be very hard to beat.
To win the triple triple would be my greatest achievement.
Despite so often having to contend with injuries and setbacks before major Games, Bolt somehow still manages to retain the same serene swagger, never questioning his ability to execute when it really matters: after yet another niggle and the usual doubts, here he is again, ready to seize ownership of a third Olympics. Only the true greats can do it; Bolt is already the greatest.
As the fireworks went off and Bolt made his generously slow lap of honour, stopping to greet fans at every turn, it was clear that even the astonishing world record set by Kendra Harrison in the women's 100m hurdles could still not quite overshadow the great Jamaican coasting home for a significant, and yet routine, victory.
Rio and the 'triple triple' awaits. It seems the world's best is back and very much ready to shine once more.
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