Usain Bolt cemented his place in the pantheon of the modern Olympic Games last night with a victory in the 200 metres that reinforced Jamaica’s reputation as the world’s factory of top class sprinters.
He became the first man to repeat double Olympic sprint victories in successive Games, leading a Jamaican clean sweep of the final, with the 100 metres silver medallist, Yohan Blake, coming second again and Warren Weir taking the bronze.
Bolt, who described himself as a “living legend”, was ahead of his rivals from the start and appeared to casually slow up before he crossed the line, bring his left index finger to his mouth and “ssssshhh” the 80,000-strong crowd.
As if to prove the point, he dropped to the track and