BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FANS around the world last evening (Aug. 12) witnessed a disappointing end to Usain Bolt’s athletic career, as the Jamaican icon suffered an injury in his last championship final.
Bolt, running his final competitive international event at the 2017 Word Athletics Championships in London, fell to the track in pain as his teammates looked on in horror as he winced.
Competing in the finals of the Men’s 4X100m Relay, the iconic sprinter was anchoring the defending champions when he received the baton and began his quest to overtake the United States and Great Britain respectively.
Shortly after, he pulled up and laid on the track in pain as the Brits stunned the Americans to win the title.
The Jamaican icon however completed the race with the assistance of his teammates.
It was reported by teammate Yohan Blake that Bolt had suffered a muscle cramp during the event following a 40-minute delay of the race.
“It was 40 minutes and two medal presentations before our run. We keep warming up and waiting, then warming up and waiting. I think it got the better of us,” Blake said, according to BBC Sport.
Many have questioned why the Jamaican sprinter saw it prudent to compete at the Championships if he was not 100% fit.
Though he had a bad meet by his standards, many pundits have indicated that his legacy has been secured with his blistering performance.
He leaves the 2017 London event with one medal; a bronze that he secured in the 100m earlier in the Meet.
According to his long list of successes, the tall Jamaican signed off with 11 World Championships gold medals.
In 2007, he took home two silver medals in the 200m and the 4x100m Relay.
In 2009, he took home the sprint titles in 100m, 200m and 4x100m Relay, and followed that up at the 2013 and 2015 world events.
In 2011, he won the 200m and the 4x100m Relay after false starting in the 100m.
He dominated the sprints at the Olympic Games, taking the 100m and 200m in 2008, while taking home three more gold medals in 2012; a feat he repeated in last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Meanwhile, British 5,000m and 10,000m champion, Mo Farah also bowed out from the track after taking gold in the latter and silver in the former events.
