Never. Never has one man won the 100 meter dash in the Summer Olympic Games three consecutive times, but this Sunday, Usain Bolt will attempt to change that forever. In what will be his final Olympics, he announced his intent to retire at the conclusion of the 2017 Commonwealth Games, Bolt is attempting to make history in threepeating in the 100 meter dash but also the 200 meter dash and 4 x 100 meter relay. A doping scandal baring the entire Russian Track and Field team and one of Bolt’s major competitors, 2004 gold medalist in the event Justin Gatlin being suspended twice for doping over his career casts a syringe shaped cloud over the proceedings and created an environment where track and field is maybe looking for a positive headline and Bolt could be the man to deliver. Bolt also faces a stiff competitor from his own backyard as his country man, 2012 silver medalist Yohan Blake who is also his teammate in the 4 x 100 meter relay, seeks to unseat him. Complicating matters for the defending champion and fastest man in recorded history is that before the Olympics he injured his hamstring and although he says he’s fine it could be something to watch for in the heats to see if he paces himself.
If he wins, you can bet on one thing, that it will be in World Record time, if not I’ll run 100 meters in my backyard as punishment although I think Bolt could probably do a 400 meter race which is well outside his specialty before I am half way done with the first hundred meters. Just as they were in Beijing, and London the eyes of the world are watching and waiting on the speed of a man who couldn’t have a more appropriate last name given his profession if he tried. Good Luck Mr. Bolt.
