There were some doubts before the race started. Is he on good enough form? Will he be able to defend his Olympic title? Then the starter’s gun fired and less than 10 seconds later we could all see the there had been no need to worry as Usain Bolt powered home for his second consecutive Olympic men’s 100m sprint gold medal.
Bolt is more than just an athlete, he’s a phenomenon. The lanky 25 year old from Trelawney, Jamaica burst onto the world arena four years ago in Beijing when he won 3 gold medals for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. With his charismatic, laid back style he made a welcome change from his often scowling, serious competitors.
Nicknamed the Lightning Bolt, the young Jamaican often seems to be barely trying when he blows away the field in his races. Sometimes apparently taking his foot off the gas and even slowing down before the finish line when he knows he’s got a win in the bag. His awesome skill twinned with such a fun attitude makes him fantastic to watch and the roars from the crowd in the Olympic stadium as he won last night prove that he’s most definitely a fan favourite.
Despite concerns about his form, Bolt didn’t disappoint. Neither in his decisive victory (a new Olympic record of 9.63) nor in his celebrations as he adopted his trademark “lightning bolt” pose and mugged for the ecstatic crowds. The celebrations were certainly not limited to the stadium either, crowds of revellers already gathered on the streets of Kingston to celebrate 50 years of Jamaican independence went absolutely wild when they saw their hero cross the finish line.
The fun has only just begun for Bolt at London 2012, as he’ll be back on the track tomorrow competing in the heats of the 200m men’s sprint. We’ll certainly be tuning in to cheer him on, perhaps wearing a funky Rasta Wig with Hat (from our huge range of brilliant Party Wigs) in honour of the fabulous Lightning Bolt from Jamaica!
By Jennie Humes
Author