The greatest athlete the world has ever seen: Usain Bolt achieves historic Olympic sprint double with 200m win then celebrates by doing PRESS-UPS
- Usain Bolt retains his Olympic 200m in a time of 19.32, making him the first man to win that event and the 100m race at two Olympics
- Jamaican superstar came in fractionally behind his own world record as countrymen Yohan Blake gained silver and Warren Weir came third
- Silenced doubters with a finger on his lips as he crossed the line before falling to the floor to do press-ups in an incredible display of strength
By IAN GARLAND
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Usain Bolt won the men's 200m in emphatic style tonight, earning his title as the world's greatest ever sprinter.
The 25-year-old Jamaican powered home in 19.32 seconds, just a fraction outside the Olympic record of 19.30 - and he raised the roof on the Olympic Stadium by dropping to the track and celebrating by doing press-ups.
Yohan Blake and Warren Weir made it a Jamaica one-two-three. American Wallace Spearmon came fourth.
Having repeated his feat from Beijing, Bolt is the only man to have won both the 100m and 200m at two successive Olympics
I'm No.1: Jamaica's Usain Bolt storms to victory in the men's 200m final
Fastest man on Earth: Bolt powered past fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake
No world record: Bolt glances at the official clock as he powers towards the finish line
Bolt was pushed all the way by Blake, his friend and training partner, who was tipped by many to outshine his mentor in London.
But Bolt got off to a blistering start and powered into a lead around the bend.
In the final 100m it looked as if Blake was closing him down, but Bolt found and extra push and cruised over the line.
American 400m world record holder Michael Johnson said: 'Blake found after the start that Bolt was already gone. He displayed some speed endurance that I haven't seen before. He looked at the clock, realised that he was not on world record pace and decided to celebrate a little bit early!'
Jamaica 123: Bolt eased over the line in a time of 19.32, followed by Blake and Warren Weir, making it a Jamaica 1-2-3
Easy: After strolling to victory, Bolt dropped to the track and didpress-ups after
Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt and Warren Weir celebrate their phenomenal 1-2-3 for Jamaica
Bolt celebrated by kissing the track, hugging spectators, dropping and performing a set of press-ups and striking his lightning pose, before embracing compatriots Blake and Weir - who secured silver and bronze.
He then told the BBC: "This is what I wanted and I got it. I'm very proud of myself. I had a rough season, I came out here and I did what I had to do.
FASTEST 200M OF ALL TIME
1 Bolt 19.19 (2009)
2 Blake 19.26 (2011)
3 Bolt 19.30 (2008),
4 Bolt 19.32 (2012), Johnson 19.32 (1996),
6 Bolt 19.40 (2011)
'We've been working hard all season. We pushed ourselves, we pushed each other and we're happy."
Asked if he could have had a world record, Bolt added: "I think it was possible...but I guess I wasn't fit enough. I was fast but I wasn't fit enough.
'I came off the corner, I could feel the strain on my back a little bit so I was trying to keep my form, but
I stopped running because I knew it wasn't going to be a world record. When I came off the corner I could feel it.
'It was hard. I really dedicated [myself] to my work, I know what London meant to me. I came here and I gave it my all and I'm proud of myself.
'I didn't get a world record - I really wanted to do it in the 200m - but I'm happy."
Blake said: 'Usain Bolt has been motivating me all season. Everything has been going good so far."
Third-placed Weir added: "It's a great honour to come here and do what the country wanted, to get the top three.
'The love in London is very, very good."
Bolt rewarded the crowd by striking his famous lightning bolt pose
Grinning: The double gold medal winner grabbed a photographer's camera and started taking snaps of the crowd
Mr charisma: As thousands of cameras flashed around the stadium, Bolt grabbed a snapshot of his own
Bolt broke both 100m and 200m world records in Beijing.
He failed to better his record of 9.58 seconds in the 100m final, but he's predicting a fast time when he goes up against fellow countryman Yohan Blake in the Olympic Stadium tonight.
After cruising to victory in last night's semi-final he said: 'There's a possibility (of a record), definitely.
'I can't say (for sure), but the track is fast. It's going to be a good race.'
Celebration: He partied into the early hours with a group of Swedish beach volleyball players after his 100m win
The cult of Bolt: Jamaicans in London have united to support the country's most famous athlete. Here, in central London
Both Bolt and Blake qualified comfortably from yesterday's semi-finals.
Blake registered the fastest time from the two heats. Bolt had to settle for fifth after slowing down to a canter as he crossed the line, light years ahead of the rest of the field.
The two men are fierce rivals on the track. Off the track, they're friends and even training partners - Bolt acting as a mentor to the 20-year-old.
He's even given Blake a nickname: 'The beast.'
The mentor/protege relationship was shaken when Blake pipped Bolt to first place in the Jamaican trials.
But Bolt returned to form in time for the 100m final in London, soundly beating his compatriot, who was forced to settle for a silver medal.
... And in Brixton, where there's a strong Jamaican community
Jamaica: As well as back home, where thousands gathered to watch the 100m final at the Half Way Tree in Kingston
Bolt fever: All his races are being shown on big screens across the country, as Bolt fever reaches a crescendo
Blake speaks fondly of his friendship with Bolt, but insisted they both left their relationship in the locker room when they stepped out into the stadium tonight.
He said: 'When I train I train like a beast. That's why Usain gave me the name. Off the track it's different. He is a calm guy. We are always friends.
'We always have fun, joke around. On the day it's all business, each man for himself. Win or lose we are going to be friends. I try not to build up a rivalry because at the end of the day it's just a race. If you focus on a rivalry you might not get the work done.'
Jamaica one-two: Bolt beat fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake to gold in the 100m final
Pals: The pair are close friends and training partners
Teammates: Later in the week they'll line up together in the Jamaican 4x100 metres team
The many faces of Usain Bolt
It's not all about the lightning bolt. Usain has captivated and entertained the crowd at London 2012 with a full range of comical and outrageous poses
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