The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Usain Bolt

  • Tina Ogundoyin adapts

    Even the very best in any age is at the mercy of time. After breaking numerous records and entertaining fans for a decade or more, the most talented athlete loses hold of his soul and limb, leaving the terrain for up and coming ones. It was the fate that befell Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods and Usain Bolt and has also befallen Tina Ogundoyin.

    If the celebrity scene was an athletics competition, Tina was the world record holder who left her challengers biting the dust. She bestrode the Ibadan social scene like a perennial Olympic gold medallist as she waltzed from one high octane shindig in the ancient city to another, trailed by her coterie of equally flamboyant friends. Always colourfully and expensively dressed, she was the envy of many who could only dream of her vaunted status as the Queen of Sheba.

    But as the historical queen lost her lustre, so did Tina. Following a series of emotional issues with one-time beau Sogo Agboola, Tina’s sparkle began to wane, leading to her laying down her crown for new contenders on the scene to squabble over.

    These days, she is a picture of indifference to the goings-on on the social scene. She meticulously chooses the few occasions she now graces with her presence.

  • Hamilton wins U.S. GP but made to wait for title

    Hamilton wins U.S. GP but made to wait for title

    Mercedes won the Formula One constructors’ title for the fourth year in a row on Sunday, but Lewis Hamilton was made to wait in spite of  cruising to a U.S. Grand Prix victory at one of his favourite circuits.

    Hamilton, presented with the winner’s trophy by former U.S. president Bill Clinton, now looks sure to finish off the job; and become Britain’s first four times world champion in Mexico next weekend.

    The Mercedes driver’s fifth victory in six years at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas extended his lead over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who finished second, to 66 points.

    There are a maximum of 75 points still to be won from the three races remaining.

    “I love this track, I think this track is now my favourite to be honest,” said Hamilton, interviewed by Usain Bolt on the podium and joining the Olympic sprint champion’s signature victory pose.

    “A big congratulations to the team. They work so hard back at the factory and here.”

    The victory was the 62nd of Hamilton’s career and his ninth of the season.

    Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen took third, despite finishing fourth at the flag, after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen — who had passed the Finn with a great overtaking move.

    He was, however, hit with a five second post-race penalty that dropped him to fourth.

    “It is an appalling decision. They have robbed all of the fans here,” raged Red Bull principal Christian Horner as Verstappen left the pre-podium room.

    “It was a great grand prix and they have screwed it up.”

    Hamilton had started on pole position, waved away for the formation lap by Bolt after an extended pre-race presentation, reflecting the sport’s new U.S. ownership and desire to jazz things up.

    Celebrity boxing title fight announcer Michael Buffer gave his long and resonant call of ‘Let’s get ready to rumble’, after announcing the drivers to the crowd one by one, and the battle was on.

    But it was Vettel who struck the first blow from second place on the grid, beating Hamilton into the first corner as the Briton moved across and squeezed him as tight as he could without making contact.

    Six laps later and Hamilton was back in front and this time he stayed there.

    “At the start it was looking good, we got past Lewis, but we had to realise we couldn’t go at his pace,” said Vettel.

    “We were then in no-man’s land and were not quite sure. We decided to pit again, with a fresh set of tyres, and it was a bit more exciting, but overall it was not the result we needed.”

    The German dropped down to fourth after his second stop, but passed Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas with five laps to go and team mate Raikkonen obligingly let him pass.

    Bottas finished fifth with French driver Esteban Ocon sixth for Force India and Carlos Sainz, on his Renault debut after leaving Toro Rosso, seventh.

    Mexican Sergio Perez was eighth for Force India with Brazilian Felipe Massa ninth in a Williams and Russian Daniil Kvyat taking a point for Toro Rosso.

    NAN

  • Bolt says he’s serious about a soccer career

    Bolt says he’s serious about a soccer career

    Usain Bolt says he is serious about starting up a soccer career now he has retired from sprinting, and believes he could even be good enough to play for Jamaica.

    The 31-year-old eight-time Olympic gold medalist, currently recovering from a hamstring injury, accepted there might be some skepticism, but said it had always been his boyhood dream.

    “For me it’s a personal goal. I don’t care what people really think about it. I‘m not going to lie to myself.

    “I‘m not going to be stupid,” the Jamaican told reporters at the U.S. Formula One Grand Prix.

    He was speaking before world champion Lewis Hamilton drove him around the Circuit of the Americas in a Mercedes AMG sportscar, sending the car sliding into corners and ending with tyre-smoking spins.

    “If I feel I can’t do it, I‘m going to say ‘you know what, forget this’. I‘m not trying to embarrass myself.

    “But if I go out there and feel I can do this then I will give it a try. It’s a dream and another chapter of my life,” said Bolt.

    “If you have a dream that you always wanted to do, why not try and see where it will go.”

    The world’s fastest man has been sponsored by Puma since he was 15 and the German Sportswear Company has a stake in Borussia Dortmund.

    Bolt, who retired from athletics after August’s world championships in London, has been invited to spend a week training with the Bundesliga club and he plans to take it up.

    “It’s just my hamstring keeping me back right now. In two weeks I can start training again and get back into some shape.

    “Then I can really explore the situation,” he said.

    “They say the invitation is always open, so it’s all about me getting over my injury and then getting into shape.

    “Then I can do the trials and see what level I‘m at.”

    A keen Manchester United fan, Bolt doubted manager Jose Mourinho would be on the phone any time soon, but said he had spoken to the club’s former manager Alex Ferguson about his dream.

    “He said ‘Alright, get into shape and I’ll see where that goes’,” said the sprinter.

    Jamaica, who failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals, are currently 59th in the world rankings, leaving Bolt to also muse: “I think I can make the Jamaica team easily. I wouldn’t say they are that good at this point.”

    Bolt, who suffered the injury in his final race, the world championships 4 x 100 metres relay final, again ruled out any athletics comeback.

    The Olympian said he missed the laughs and banter, but not the training and he was intending to start a family.

    “I‘m waiting to see if my football career will go anywhere, but I definitely want to work with the IAAF in ways to promote the sport and help keep it on the level on which I left it,” he added.

    “Being a coach? No. Definitely not.”

    Asked about the current state of athletics and doping scandals that have seen Russian athletes barred from competition, the Jamaican felt the sport was climbing back out of the gutter.

    “You have to get to the worst to start rebuilding and I think the Russia situation was the worst we could get,” he said.

    “Now it’s all about rebuilding and making people trust the sport again. This year was the first that we made a step in the right direction so, hopefully, we continue.

    “If you’re in the gutter and working your way up, it’s going to take time. That’s what we need. Just time for people to really start trusting the sport again.”

    NAN

  • Bolt to begin football career in 2018

    Bolt to begin football career in 2018

     

    Retired sprinter and eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt is re-echoed his desire to have a go at football after an impressive career on the track.

    The 31 year old Jamaican who is a die-hard fan of Manchester United confirmed that “a lot” of clubs had reached out to him.  He has previously spoken about his desire to one day play professional football, and has now set next year for a possible debut.

    “Yes, I would love to play football now I’ve retired from track and field,” the 31-year-old Jamaican told FIFA.com.

    Bolt can best be described as a mixer with love for a number of hobbies outside his passion and job on the track.

    His is not only in love with football but also expresses love for dancing.

    His Jamaican track and field idols include Herb McKenley and former Jamaican 100m and 200m world record holder, Don Quarrie. Michael Johnson, the former 200 m world and Olympic record holder, is also held in high esteem by Bolt

    He has the nickname “Lightning Bolt” due to his name and speed. Bolt is Catholic and known for making the sign of the cross before racing competitively, and he wears a Miraculous Medal during his races.

    His middle name is St. Leo.

    In 2010, Bolt also revealed his fondness of music, when he played a reggae DJ set to a crowd in

    Paris.He is also an avid fan of the Call of Duty video game series, saying, “I stay up late [playing the game online], I can’t help it.”

    In his autobiography, Bolt reveals that he has suffered from scoliosis, a condition that has curved his spine to the right and has made his right leg half an inch shorter than his left

    Bolt is a well-known fan of Manchester United, after having been initially attracted to the club by player Ruud van Nistelrooy.

    A biographical film based on the athletic life of Bolt to win three Olympic gold medals, titled I Am Bolt, was released on 28 November 2016 in United Kingdom. The film was directed by Benjamin Turner and

    Gabe Turner.

    It will however interest you to know that the first sport to interest Bolt was cricket, and he said if he was not a sprinter, he would be a fast bowler instead. As a child, he was a supporter of the Pakistani cricket team and admired the bowling of Waqar Younis.He is also a fan of Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, West Indian opener Chris Gayle, and Australian opener Matthew Hayden.

    During a charity cricket match, Bolt clean-bowled Gayle who was complimentary of Bolt’s pace and swing.Bolt also struck a six off Gayle’s bowling. Another bowler complimentary of Bolt’s pace was former West Indies fast-bowling great Curtly Ambrose.

  • Gatlin blames TV scheduling for Bolt injury

    Gatlin blames TV scheduling for Bolt injury

    Justin Gatlin agreed with the complaints of the Jamaican relay team that a long wait before their 4x100m final at the World Championships on Saturday contributed to the injury suffered by Usain Bolt in his last race.

    Bolt, having been passed the baton by Yohan Blake, was in third behind Great Britain and the United States, who eventually won gold and silver, but pulled up almost 50m from the line and fell to the track.

    Jamaica’s team doctor later said that the 30-year-old had suffered a hamstring cramp.

    Bolt’s teammates complained that a 45-minute wait in the call room before the race had hampered their preparations.

    “I think they were holding us too long in the call room,’’ Blake told reporters. “Usain was really cold. In fact Usain said to me ‘Yohan, I think this is crazy’. Forty minutes and two medal presentations before our run.’’

    Gatlin, who beat Bolt to gold in the 100m last Saturday, agreed with the complaints and laid the blame at the television scheduling for the event.

    “I know it’s TV magic, and everybody has to be prepared on time to make everything happen for the viewers at home.

    “(But) I personally think that we were held in the stadium a little too long without our clothes on, and there was a little draught in there. I lost all my sweat and body heat,’’ Gatlin said.

    When asked if he thought that contributed to Bolt’s injury, the 35-year-old said: “I believe so.

    “Knowing how Usain performs, he’s always ready, he’s always making sure he’s not injured and it’s very rare to see Usain injured when he comes to performances.’’

    Gatlin ran the second leg for the United States as they finished runners-up behind Britain, who became world champions for the first time.

    Amidst the home crowd’s jubilation, there was also relief at the sight of Bolt being able to walk off the track after being helped to his feet by his teammates.

    “I’m not sure what the extent of his injury is, but when I saw him go down I thought it was a calf cramp or a hamstring cramp. But he walked off the track, so that’s good thing.

    “I hope that he gets well soon,’’ Gatlin added.

  • Usain Bolt: End of an era

    There is, perhaps, no other athlete that has so much caught the attention of the whole world in contemporary time as Usain Bolt. It is not just about his talent. Neither is it about his imposing frame. Usain Bolts brings something extra to his trade that makes fans enjoy watching him. He is an enigma who starts and ends a race in an unusual electrifying fashion. Bolt is a showman on the tracks and no doubt, the tracks, the fans and the sport immeasurably love him. The way he does his lap of honour at the end of each race is simply exhilarating.

    Unlike any other superstar sprinter, unlike Carl Lewis or Michael Johnson, after winning a race, the drama has just begun for Bolt as he stops for every selfie, holding his now famous and iconic pose for every photographer. Sometimes he takes him an hour to complete a lap of honour when the race proper had taken him less than 10 seconds. For Bolt, it goes beyond winning. It is about how much of the ecstatic of winning he could savour. It is a combination of these that have made Bolt the most globally recognized sportsman since Muhammad Ali, with a greater global fan base than a Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan.

    Like every good story, there is always a beginning. For Bolt, his real burst into global sporting reckoning began at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Except, perhaps, for die-hard track and field enthusiasts, in Beijing the world knew very little about the 21 year rookie. Thus, much was not really expected from him. Indeed, his qualification for the final of the 100m race was considered as enough milestones for him. But then, the young and determined Bolt had other plans. By the time the 1000m race ended that summer night at the magnificent Beijing Olympics Stadium, the entire world was shocked to witness the arrival of a new track king.

    Not only did Bolt win the 100m race, he did so by setting a new world record of 9.69 which remains valid till date. Since then, Bolt has grown to become a global sprint phenomenon. His Olympics record is, to say the least, awesome: three Olympics, three gold medals in each of the three races he competed for;  a world record over 100m, a world record over 200m, a world record in the sprint 400m relay. Not only has Bolt created Olympic and athletics records, he has equally redeemed the sport from its numerous doping scandals.

    But for the grand entrance of Bolt into the scene, athletics was almost being ruined by the several doping scandals that had marred the image of the sport. For instance, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Shawn Crawford who won the 100m race and was trained by disgraced Coach Trevor Graham, ended his career with a doping sanction. Close behind Crawford in bronze at Athens was Justin Gatlin (the man who ironically spoiled the party for Bolt at his last individual race as an athlete at the 2017 World Athletics Championship 100m final in London) who was another of Graham’s doping products. Gatlin had been banned for one year and four years respectively for dope related offences.  So, as the 2008 Beijing Olympics was approaching, almost every record-breaking sprinter – Justin Gatlin, Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery had been busted for drugs. This was the doping ravaged picture of athletics before Bolt came from the blue and gave the sport a clean new lease of life.

    Throughout his reign from 2008-2017, as the sport numero uno, Bolt stood tall as the new symbol of athletics and an example that new generation of aspiring athletes could emulate. He showed the world that an athlete does not need to cut corners before becoming a global prodigy. Through a dint of hard work and sheer determination, Bolt became a cult figure in the sporting fraternity. By the London 2012 Olympics, Bolt had so much elevated the status of the sport that over one million fans across the world jostled to buy the available 80,000 tickets for the 100m final event. This is aside hundreds of millions others that were glued to the television just to catch a glimpse of a ten-second event. Such was the thrilling power that the sport has had upon the world, thanks to Bolt’s captivating influence.

    This much was attested to by no other athletic personality than the legendary Michael Johnson whose 200 meters record Bolt shattered. “Athletics is in such a poor shape before Bolt busted into the scene. It is difficult to really put into perspective his impact, because the sport has done such a poor job of promoting itself and policing itself that Bolt has stood apart from the sport. Good for him, otherwise, I think the sport would have dragged him down.” In a blemished period, Bolt has been unblemished. Putting on the now famous Jamaican yellow vest, Bolt has brought so much ecstasy to diverse people across the globe.

    Though he lost his last individual race, the final of the 100m at the 2017 World Athletics Championship to dope-prone Justin Gatlin who won in a time of 9.92 secs, with his fellow American Christian Coleman second in 9.94secs and Bolt coming third with 9.95secs, to millions of his admirers and athletics enthusiasts all over the world, it doesn’t really matter anymore. Bolt has given his all to the sport that made him and which he also remade. Athletics now has only one golden boy. Usain Bolt is it! It doesn’t even matters anymore whatever happens at his very last race-the 400m relay race. Bolt would for a long while remain a colossus in the minds of sporting fans across the globe. He has done just enough to put his name in gold in the hearts of sports fans.

    The question on the lip of every concerned sport enthusiasts the world over is: “What happens to athletics after the exit of Usain Bolt? Finding an appropriate answer to this question would, no doubt, properly help in ascertaining what the future holds for the sport in the post Usain Bolt era. This is why it is, indeed, a sad tale for athletics that it was Justin Gatlin, a 35-year old athlete who has had a drug blemished career that is currently the world 100 metres champion. To many athletics pundits and buffs, this does not augur well for the future of track and field as it might be interpreted to mean the triumph of evil over good. The several boos and jeers that reverberated through the length and breadth of the London Olympics Stadium on the night that Gatlin ‘stole’ Bolt’s crown were indicative of fans’ detestation for cheating and cheats, and by inference their fear for the future of athletics.

    Meanwhile, as the curtain draws on Bolt’s eventful and successful sporting career, it is essential to join millions of fans across the world in wishing him the very best in his future endeavours. Thanks for all the sweet sporting memories.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
  • Gatlin win ‘not the perfect script’, says IAAF President

    Gatlin win ‘not the perfect script’, says IAAF President

    Justin Gatlin’s win in the 100 metres at the World Athletics Championships was “not the perfect script”, IAAF President Sebastian Coe said on Sunday.

    American Gatlin, who has served two suspensions for doping offences, ruined Usain Bolt’s fairytale farewell on Saturday by beating the Jamaican sprint great in his final ever individual race.

    Bolt came third, behind 21-year-old American Christian Coleman, whose compatriot Gatlin was booed by the crowd for his win inside the London Stadium.

    “I’m not eulogistic that someone who has served two bans has walked off with one of our glittering prizes.

    “But he is eligible to be here,” Coe, the head of the sport’s governing body, told the BBC.

    “It’s not the perfect script. I thought Usain was very generous with the observations he made. That must have been a bitter event for him to swallow.

    “He was bigger than the moment and it typifies his career.”

    Coe reiterated his support for life bans for convicted drug cheats, but used Gatlin’s example to illustrate how legal systems worldwide have frustrated efforts to impose more severe punishments.

    Gatlin received a two-year ban in 2001 after failing a dope test for amphetamines found in prescribed medication he had been taking since a child for Attention Deficit Disorder.

    This suspension was later reduced to one year on appeal.

    The sprinter then tested positive for testosterone in 2006 and was suspended for eight years, avoiding a lifetime ban in exchange for his cooperation with the doping authorities.

    This ban, however, was also halved by an arbitration panel in 2007.

    “There have been two bans in the past,” Coe said. “One got watered down, which made it very difficult for the second ban.

    The second ban, we went for an eight-year ban, which would have, in essence, been a life ban. We lost that.”

    Efforts to impose lengthy suspensions on doping offenders have often been overturned in courts or by arbitration panels, with appeals sometimes citing inconsistencies with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.

    WADA only updated its code from January 2015 to allow a four-year ban for first-time offenders, up from two years.

    Following Gatlin’s victory, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he wanted lifetime bans introduced to fully eradicate doping.

    “So would I (like to see lifetime bans) and so would the majority of our sport,” Coe said. “I’m not going to close the door on lifetime bans but we’ve constantly tried it and lost it.”

  • Usain Bolt dethroned in last competitive race

    Usain Bolt dethroned in last competitive race

    •Drugs cheat America’s Gatlin is new 100 meters champion

    This was supposed to be his last competitive race.

    At 30 years, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt wanted to leave the stage with a loud ovation as the greatest 100 and 200 metres runner ever at the London World Athletics Championships.

    It turned out to be a disastrous outing.

    Bolt breasted the tape at 9.95 seconds behind American drugs cheat Justin Gatlin who coasted home in 9.92 seconds and Christian Coleman also of the USA in made a time of 9.94seconds.

    Gatlin was out in lane eight, and while everyone’s attentions were on the battle in lane four and five, the US star drove hard in the last 40m to storm to victory.

    Bolt gave himself a lot to do in the second-half of that race and it proved too much.

     

  • Bolt eyes Olympic repeat to win gold Saturday

    Bolt eyes Olympic repeat to win gold Saturday

    Usain Bolt says he needs to produce a time similar to the one that earned him gold at the Rio 2016 Games, to win Saturday’s 100m final at the World Athletics Championships in London.

    The 30-year-old is competing in his seventh and final World Championships, and recently clocked a season’s-best time of 9.95 seconds in a Diamond League meeting in Monaco.

    He told Reuters he is “not at my best but where I want to be” and has predicted he will have to set a new season’s best to win and add another gold medal to his collection at the London Stadium.

    The Jamaican great won Olympic gold in 2012.

    “I think it will have to be 9.8 low, perhaps the same time it took me to win at the (Rio) Olympics.

    “I think it will take the same time to win here or close to that,” said Bolt, who clocked 9.81 seconds to clinch gold in Rio.

    “I’m feeling good, I’m feeling better after every race. Everything is going good.”

    One of Bolt’s biggest rivals for gold in London, Canada’s Andre de Grasse, was ruled out of the championship after having a Grade 2 hamstring tear in his final training session.

    De Grasse said the prospect of missing out on what he called “the focus of my season” was “unimaginable”.

    But Bolt said it was vital for his future career prospects that de Grasse took a realistic approach to his injury.

    “It’s always about listening to your coach and taking the doctor’s advice and taking your time to recuperate while working as hard as possible to get over the injury,” said Bolt.

    “Sometimes when you rush, it only makes things worse. I hope that he takes heed, takes his time to heal and hopefully everything goes smoothly so that he can get back on track next season.”

  • Bolt is put through his paces for final showdown

    Bolt is put through his paces for final showdown

     

    Usain Bolt may be about to bring the curtains down on his glittering career but the Jamaican sprinter looked completely at ease as he prepared for the start of the World Championships in London.

    Bolt trained on Wednesday ahead of the opening day of the World Championships on Friday, an event he insists will be the final of his professional career.

    But the pressure of performing one last time didn’t appear to be getting to him, as he wore a huge smile while being put through his paces by coach Glen Mills.

    The sprinter was pictured in action running up and down the track as he geared up for the sixth World Championships of his career.

    The 30-year-old was also spotted wearing a black Jamaica athletics t-shirt as spoke with his long-time coach Mills.

    Bolt will take part in both the 100m and 4x100m relay at the World Championships giving fans one last opportunity to see him in action at the Olympic Stadium.

    The 100m world record holder will be looking to add to the 11 World Championship gold medals he has already won over the course of his career.

    He is set to be in action for the first time on Friday as he competes in the first round of the men’s 100m – the final of the 100m event takes place on August 12.

    Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Bolt admitted he was concerned by the state of athletics in the wake of recent doping revelations – describing the scandal involving some Russian athletes as the sport hitting ‘rock bottom’.

    Bolt said: ‘Hopefully athletes will see what’s going on and understand that if they don’t stop what they’re doing the sport will die.

    ‘Hopefully understand what the sport is going through and what they need to do as athletes to help the sport moves forward.

    ‘Personally I think it was there (rock bottom). After the scandal on Russia I don’t think it gets any worse than that. It’s on its way back up now. No way but up you can go and forward.

    ‘You can’t be happy about doping at all, it’s not good for the sport. But over the years we’re doing a better job, it’s getting clean and we’re catching up to a lot of athletes’.

    Bolt will retire an eight-time Olympic champion with gold medals won at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

    He is the current defending champion for the 100m, 4x100m and 200m events at the World Championships – winning all three events in Beijing in 2015 – though he will not participate in the 200m event.