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The term ‘Lighting Bolt’ and ‘Fastest man on earth’ are synonymous with a certain Jamaican who had dazzled the world by breaking the 100m and 200m record four years back in Beijing. As expected, he was the superstar of the 2012 London Olympics and expectations were sky-high from the champion runner to defend his 100m and 200m titles – a feat never achieved before. The build up to the D-Day was not-so-encouraging for the Jamaican. He was disqualified in the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in the 100m event that was eventually won by his countryman and training partner Yohan Blake.
A crash in June didn’t help matters and following his defeat in the Jamaican Olympic trials to Blake, questions were raised about his preparations for the marquee event. However, after sailing into the final of the 100m sprint, as others around him on the track resembled a figure of absolute concentration, he was as nonchalant as his off-field persona. By the time the race came to an end, Bolt was obliging the photographers and his fans with his ‘Lighting Bolt’ move for he had bettered his own record that he had set four years back winning the event in 9.63 seconds. He later went on to win the 200m title as well and, in the process, became the first man in the history of Olympics to defend both 100m and 200m titles.
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