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SPORT 31 JULY 2017 MONDAY 21 Bolt gets set for his ﬁnal curtain call London his shoulders and made it watchable and Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates victory AP relevant. after the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay Final Since his era of dominance began in of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the uhammad Ali stood alone 2008, Bolt went undefeated at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on many fronts, but Joe Olympics — 9 for 9 — in the 100, 200 in this ﬁle photo. Frazier, George Foreman and 4x100 relay. (One of those medals and a few others still was stripped because of doping by a stood toe-to-toe with him teammate on the 2008 relay team.) He Min the ring. Jack Nicklaus contended with has set, and re-set, the world records in Arnold Palmer on the front end of his all three events. His marks of 19.30, then career and Tom Watson on the back end. 19.19, at 200 meters, were once thought Usain Bolt? Nobody has been a virtually impossible. He set a goal of match for him, on or off the track. breaking 19 seconds in Rio de Janeiro The man who reshaped the record last summer, and when he came up book and saved his sport is saying good- short, it became clear the barrier will be bye. His sprints through the 100 meters safe for years. and Jamaica’s 4x100 relay at the world At the world championships, Bolt’s championships, which begin Friday, are only “loss” came in 2011, when he was expected to produce golds yet again, and disqualified for a false start in the 100 leave track with this difficult question: meters. Jamaican teammate Yohan Who can possibly take his place? Blake won the title that year, as well as “You would have to have someone the Jamaican national championships who’s dominating, and no one’s doing at 100 and 200 meters leading to the that,” said Michael Johnson, the former London Olympics. Heading back to Lon- world-record holder at 200 and 400 don five years later, Blake is an meters and perhaps the sport’s bright- afterthought. est star in the 1990s. “You’d have to have And Bolt’s mastery of this sport someone who has that something spe- remains unchallenged. cial like he has, in terms of personality “I’ll be sad to see someone like him and presence. You’re not going to have go,” said America’s Justin Gatlin, Bolt’s that.” longest and sturdiest challenger, who Though he will not retire unde- has been disingenuously portrayed as feated, Bolt stands in the rarest of the brooding bad boy set against Bolt’s Weiskopf once said: “Jack knew he was oppose war. Bolt hasn’t sought that sort He’ll do it one more time on a company: an athlete who was never carefree party guy. going to beat you. You knew Jack was of impact, at least not yet, but it’s hard smaller stage — track’s world champi- beaten when the stakes were greatest. “He’s such a big figure in our sport. going to beat you. And Jack knew that to overstate the mark he made on his onships — but a stage with plenty of And with a showman’s flair as tran- Not only is he a big figure, but the kind you knew that he was going to beat you.” troubled sport and, thus, the Olympics, symbolic meaning. scendent as his raw speed — Chicken of guy who always will be a competitor At the worlds two years ago, Gatlin which have long featured athletics as When he headed to London for the McNuggets for dinner, his fabled “To The when he steps onto the line.” had Bolt beaten in the 100 but leaned in the must-see event of the final two Olympics in 2012, Bolt held all the World” pose for dessert and dancing Though it’s tricky to compare dom- at the finish line a microsecond too early. weeks. records, but was portrayed as vulnera- away at nightclubs till dawn — he inance in track to that in any other sport, Bolt passed him and won by 0.01 sec- Over years and decades, the show- ble, following the false start, a long list hoisted his entire, troubled sport upon there’s an element of Nicklaus in Bolt’s onds. The American all but admitted he case sport of the Olympics has devolved of nagging injuries and his losses to dominance. psyched himself out. into a sordid litany of doping scandals. Blake. The superstar Impressive as his 18 major champi- Speaking to the pressure of racing The latest concerns widespread corrup- By the time he left, he had pretty onships are, Nicklaus’ 19 second-place someone such as Bolt, the Scottish sports tion and cheating in Russia, and heading much anointed himself as the greatest. Since his era of dominance finishes and 73 top-10s spoke to his abil- historian and former Olympic coach into Rio, it undermined not only the Four years later, he said that was pre- began in 2008, Bolt went ity to get into the mix in most of the Tom McNab compared sprinting to run- sport and its managers, but the Olym- cisely his goal: “To be among Ali and undefeated at the Olympics - majors over the quarter-century while ning in a tunnel. pics and their leaders’ willingness to deal Pele,” he said. 9 for 9 - in the 100, 200 and he was collecting titles. Nicklaus had to “And once you become aware of with it. He’s on that list, but when the lights 4x100 relay. He has set and fend off Palmer, Watson, Johnny Miller what’s happening outside your tunnel, But when Bolt sauntered onto the go out after the relays Aug. 11 — 10 days re-set world records. The fact and a dozen other legitimate contend- you’re in trouble,” he said. track, flashed a peace sign and blew a before his 31st birthday — it will be time ers at every event. Bolt hasn’t faced In boxing, Ali wasn’t necessarily kiss to the crowd, all was forgotten. Not to say goodbye. of the matter is Bolt’s anything like that. unbeatable, but he was incomparable just for the 9, or 19, seconds while he “Once he’s gone,” McNab says, mastery of this sport remains Yet they shared this important sim- as both a sharp-witted showman and was running, but for the entire evening “there’s no major personality that would unchallenged. ilarity: Often, the contests were over an athlete with a social conscience, using and beyond. He made track, and thus, make any significant impact at the world before they even began. Or, as Tom his platform to preach tolerance and the Olympics, eminently watchable. level.” ‘Excited’ Rudisha ready to rock London again Nairobi London,” Rudisha said at Team Kenya’s however, and he returns to London Rudisha’s times this year in his few Reuters training camp in the capital over the looking to secure his legacy by match- outings have been modest compared to weekend. ing the great Wilson Kipketer as a the likes of compatriot Emmanuel Korir “London is a special place for me. three-times champion. and Botwana’s Nijel Amos. avid Rudisha (pictured) can’t wait Breaking the world record in 2012 and “Being world champions makes us The same was true before Rio, how- to get back to the stadium where winning that title, remains one of the the people to beat. We are feeling that ever, and while he is conscious of the D he ran a world record time five greatest moments in my career. pressure, yes, but we are ready to soak competition he will face at the world years ago and is confident he can main- “I am really looking forward to it and remain on top of the world,” he championships, Rudisha backs himself tain his dominance of the 800 metres returning to the same stadium, and said. as a big race performer. at the world championships in London especially this time to defend my title.” “Winning a third world title is going “There are upcoming athletes, but next week. While Rudisha successfully defended to be amazing. It is always important for we are also happy to see the elite ath- The 28-year-old Kenyan still holds his Olympic crown with a devastating an athlete to win major championship letes still progressing and challenging the two-lap world record with the one last-lap sprint in Rio last year, injury titles and this is what I am actually look- and giving stiff competition to the minute 40.91 seconds he ran for his first prevented him from going back-to-back ing forward to. It is also very important younger lot,” he said. Olympic gold, when he lit up a packed in 2013 after he won his first world for my career because the world want “I can’t underrate anyone. When it East London stadium on a balmy August championship gold at Daegu in 2011. to see how this champion can defend comes to championships, we have seen night in 2012. Victory in a tactical race in Beijing his title and how long he will stay at the athletes in their best form being beaten,” “I am really excited to return to won him back the world title in 2015, top of their game.” he said. Baseball results Iglesias and Boyd star for Tigers Oakland 5 Minnesota 4 San Diego 4 Pittsburgh 2 Baltimore 4 Texas 0 Detroit “Not only did he cover that much ground, he Jose Altuve went 0-for-4, snapping his Arizona 7 St Louis 1 AP had keep track of the railing, the fans and the right 19-game hitting streak and dropping his batting Chicago Cubs 2 Milwaukee 1 fielder,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.

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