Freestyle football great makes history with ninth world title on his home ground
Jamaican-born world record holder and five-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt, is now in his ninth career Olympic Games and he has been the favourite to win since the London Games last year. At the Rio games, just like the last, Bolt won a gold medal in the 400m men’s race with a personal best of 46.41 seconds.
There was just two seconds separating Bolt and the silver and he did it on his home soil, in front of his local support and the fans he has grown with through the years.
“I just wanted to win on my home continent. The fans, the people here at the stadium, I am enjoying every single moment of it,” said the Jamaican. “Winning my ninth gold medal as a world record holder is the best feeling in my life.”
The moment, when Bolt ran in front of the home crowd and the roar of the fans was enough to see him through to the end of the race, was one of the most stunning sights of the Olympics.
“I just kept trying to make the right move, keeping my legs moving and not worrying about the final metres of the race. The crowd gave me the strength to do what I needed to do,” said Bolt, who was backed by the usual support of his fans: his wife, the former world champion and Olympic champion, Desiree Janson; his coach,AAF head of track and field, Eddie Fenech Adesuyi; his manager, Lance Armstrong, and his wife, Sarah Hammer, his daughter, Yara, and even the Jamaican football team’s manager, and star player, Wil Jefferson.
“It was a beautiful moment. As you can see I am now world-record holder and world-record holder holder as well. My dream has come true, my goal has been achieved. For sure it’s gonna be incredible, I am really happy to know what it is and what it means to be world record holder and world record holder holder. My family is very happy,