Washington Post Olympic splendour offers few clues for those betting on China’s Times Online, UK – 12 hours ago If staging the most extravagant Olympics in history was about persuading the world to sit up and gape at Beijing, it has probably worked. Olympic Betting – Chicken Dinner Times Online Olympic Betting Chicken Dinner, UK – Aug 22, 2008 USA (2.2) have won gold at the last three Olympics and the last three World Championships and qualified comfortably ahead of everyone else. Day 13 – As It Happened Sportinglife.com Britain’s Medal Triumph: 8 in a Single Weekend Gambling911. Andy Murray in the betting mix for US Open title – Tennistalk.com Andy Murray in the betting mix for US Open title Tennistalk.
Usain Bolt Won Men’s 200m Gold Beijing Olympic 2008
http://olympicgames2.blogspot.comBolt breaks WR in Men’s 200m (BEIJING, August 20) — Jamaican Usain Bolt set a new world record of 19.30 seconds in the Men’s 200m final to take the gold medal in this event on August 20, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.Bolt has become the second man in history to sweep the 100m / 200m sprint double at the same Olympic Games, after Carl Lewis of the United States attained the achievement in Los Angeles in 1984.Churandy Martina of the Netherlands Antilles took silver with a nation’s best time of 19.82 seconds, holding off bronze medalist Shawn Crawford from the United States at 19.86 seconds.From the pistol shot he was a speeding bullet, heading unerringly for his target: two Olympic sprint titles, two world records.This is one awesome athlete. Usain Bolt was a name few would have known a year ago. Now, he is a name no one will ever forget.He exploded from the blocks in tonight’s 200m like a yam-powered rocket, he took the curve like a Formula One car, he simply obliterated the rest of the field on the straight.After the 100m there was unadulterated joy and no little showmanship. Tonight, after his 19.30sec in the 200m, there was humility too as he collapsed on his back, head in hands. Perhaps Usain Bolt realised just what he had achieved.Who came second and third? Sadly, but understandably, nobody cared.Once every 20 years, a sprinter of awesome talent emerges onto the world stage. After tonight in Beijing, the only question that remains of Bolt is whether he will be the greatest sprinter of all time.Only nine men in modern Olympic history have won the 100m and 200m sprint double. None have done it twice.Rewind for a minute. Jesse Owens, of course, never had the chance to try. Not only did war intervene but he lost his amateur status immediately after his 1936 triumphs by taking up some commercial offers. It was slightly less provocative than holding up his Puma running shoe for the world to see, but nevertheless it was deemed non-Olympian.So Bolt still has some way to go to put himself on the same level as Owens, or even Carl Lewis in 1984, given that both also won the long jump as part of a treble, and that Lewis also won sprint gold and silver four years later in Seoul.But given that Bolt is only 21 – he turns 22 tomorrow – given that Bolt is a physical phenomenon the like of which sprinting has never seen before, given that Bolt appears to be mercifully free of the temptation to fill his body with banned substances, does anyone out there seriously question that he will pull off exactly the same feat in London’s Olympic Stadium in four years’ time?Surely not, he will be there, giving it ‘the archer’ and sending sprinting into a different stratosphere.The current – make that previous – world record holder Michael Johnson was confident his mark would stand because he felt Bolt had yet to master the more technical aspects of the 200m.Well, God help the rest of the world of sprinting when he does learn those.You would not bet against Usain Bolt doing the double double. In fact, most people will hope that he does so.Most people, though Kriss Akabusi this week won the prize for the most mealy-mouthed man in middle England for his criticism of Bolt for showboating at the end of the 100m final.Akabusi should realise that the Olympics in London will need its characters, and its heroes – and not just British cyclists, rowers, swimmers and sailors. Lord knows, the 100m certainly does after 20 years of drug-induced cynicism.Bolt can bring that aura, that glamour, that sprinkling of stardust to London, and we should relish the prospect.
Author: yokami2
Keywords: usian bolt breaks WR in Men’s 200m usain olympic champion 100 meter 200 world record olympics gold meda
Added: August 20, 2008
