Atheltics Weekly

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BOLT: I AM UNBEATABLE
FOR Usain Bolt, losing the
100m at the IAAF World
Championships in London on
Saturday is not an option,
writes Jessica Whittington.
Asked what his legacy
will be when he wakes up on
Sunday having raced his final
individual event at a major
championships, the Jamaican
sprint superstar simply replies:
“Unbeatable.”
Sitting on a stage at a
packed Puma press conference
with the words ‘forever fastest’
lit up in a sign above his head,
Bolt elaborates.
“Usain Bolt is retiring
unbeatable over individual
events,” he says. “I’ll still have
the relays but with relays you
never know. For me, that will
be the headline, hopefully!
Unbeatable. Unstoppable.”
After numerous global golds
and world record-breaking
runs, there’s now approximately
just 30 seconds left of Bolt
performing in individual major
championships competition.
The crowd will roar as the
30-year-old takes to the track
to begin his campaign in the
London Stadium on Friday
(August 4) as he targets a
record fourth world 100m title.
The semi-finals and final are
held the next day, and with the
11-time world gold medallist
not contesting the 200m this
time, he will next emerge for
the 4x100m a week later, with
Saturday August 12 marking
the end of an incredible career.
“I think the two best crowds
I’ve ever had were London and
Beijing the first time,” says Bolt
as he reflects. “Those were
the loudest and most exciting
crowds. London was good
because they even came out
for the morning sessions, the
stadium was always full and
I’ve never seen that before.”
Usain Bolt: on stage
with Colin Jackson
Ahead of being back on
that track, the world’s fastest
ever sprinter adds: “I’m
ready. I’m always ready. I’m
always excited when I get to a
championship.
“For some reason, again,
I seem to be the underdog.
That’s what I keep reading. I’ve
got to prove myself once more.”
JESSICA WHITTINGTON
WRONGED ATHLETES TO GET PODIUM MOMENTS
JESS ENNIS-HILL is one of 11
individual athletes and five teams
who will get their rightful medals from
previous World Championships in
London this month.
Ennis-Hill, who was beaten into
heptathlon silver by Russian drugs
cheat Tatyana Chernova at the 2011
World Championships in Beijing, will
receive her gold on Sunday August
6 at the London Stadium, with the
ceremony accompanied by the
national anthem and flags.
The United States women’s
4x400m team will also receive their
gold medals after being beaten by the
now disgraced Russians at the 2013
event in Moscow, while 10,000m
runners Kara Goucher and Jo Pavey
will get a deserved upgrade to silver
and bronze respectively after being
beaten in 2011 by Turkey’s Elvan
Abeylegesse, who later failed a drugs
test.
British 400m record-holder
Christine Ohuruogu is set to receive
Jess
Ennis-
Hill:
rightful
gold
MARK SHEARMAN
a total of three relay medals. IAAF
president Seb Coe said: “I’m delighted
that the athletes are properly
honoured for their achievements
and what better way than in front of
passionate athletics fans at a major
championship.
“For those receiving gold medals
their moment in London will be all the
more special as they will hear their
national anthem played. Whatever
their nationality clean athletes
worldwide will celebrate with them.”
A T H L E T I C S W E E K L Y 7