Rogge does U-turn, hails 'active legend' Bolt as Olympics close
Source: Agencies |
August 13, 2012, Monday
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INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge hailed Usain Bolt as the greatest sprinter of all time yesterday as he moved to quell a row with the Jamaican superstar.
Bolt brought the curtain down on another glittering Olympic campaign on Saturday with a blistering last leg in Jamaica's world record-breaking 4x100-meter relay run to replicate his three gold medals from the 2008 Beijing Games.
Bolt's barnstorming finale came just days after Rogge had said final judgement on the sprinter's place in the Olympic pantheon would have to wait until his career was over.
Rogge's comments were given short shrift by Bolt, however, following Saturday's relay triumph.
"First of all I would like to answer with a question. What else do I need to do to prove myself as a legend?," Bolt said.
"I've won both events twice at the Olympics. I've won world championship gold medals, I've broken world records many times so I don't know what else to do really. So next time you see him (Rogge) I think you should ask him what Usain needs to do. I don't know what else to do really."
However, Rogge moved to damp down the verbal spat yesterday as the Games drew to a close. Asked again where he ranked Bolt, he replied: "It is a semantic question but you would say that Usain Bolt is an active performance legend, an icon and the best sprinter of all time."
Rogge was speaking in a closing press conference in which he declared the London Olympics had been a "dream for sports lovers", praising organizers for delivering an "athletes' Games."
In the relay on Saturday, almost even with the last United States runner when he got the baton, Bolt pulled away down the stretch and capped his perfect Games by leading Jamaica to the relay victory in a world-record 36.84 seconds.
"A wonderful end to a wonderful week," Bolt said. "What else do I need to do to prove myself as a legend?"
After the win, he held up three fingers, one for each of his golds.
He is now 6 for 6 in Olympic finals over his career - breaking four world records in the process, including three in Beijing in 2008.
Bolt also heads home with an extra souvenir. After winning on Saturday, he pleaded with an official to let him keep the yellow baton he was clutching. Told he'd be disqualified if he didn't hand it over, Bolt complied, and some nearby spectators booed. About 40 minutes later, that same official approached Bolt and returned the stick. Bolt responded with a bow of thanks and a chuckle, kissed the baton - and then asked his teammates to autograph it.
Allyson Felix also won her third gold of the Games, giving the 4x400 relay team a big lead halfway through the race and the US further closed in on winning the medals table with nine gold overall.
Sanya Richards-Ross had an easy relay anchor leg to add this gold medal to her 400-meter gold. Felix earlier won the 200 and 4x100 relay.
Bolt brought the curtain down on another glittering Olympic campaign on Saturday with a blistering last leg in Jamaica's world record-breaking 4x100-meter relay run to replicate his three gold medals from the 2008 Beijing Games.
Bolt's barnstorming finale came just days after Rogge had said final judgement on the sprinter's place in the Olympic pantheon would have to wait until his career was over.
Rogge's comments were given short shrift by Bolt, however, following Saturday's relay triumph.
"First of all I would like to answer with a question. What else do I need to do to prove myself as a legend?," Bolt said.
"I've won both events twice at the Olympics. I've won world championship gold medals, I've broken world records many times so I don't know what else to do really. So next time you see him (Rogge) I think you should ask him what Usain needs to do. I don't know what else to do really."
However, Rogge moved to damp down the verbal spat yesterday as the Games drew to a close. Asked again where he ranked Bolt, he replied: "It is a semantic question but you would say that Usain Bolt is an active performance legend, an icon and the best sprinter of all time."
Rogge was speaking in a closing press conference in which he declared the London Olympics had been a "dream for sports lovers", praising organizers for delivering an "athletes' Games."
In the relay on Saturday, almost even with the last United States runner when he got the baton, Bolt pulled away down the stretch and capped his perfect Games by leading Jamaica to the relay victory in a world-record 36.84 seconds.
"A wonderful end to a wonderful week," Bolt said. "What else do I need to do to prove myself as a legend?"
After the win, he held up three fingers, one for each of his golds.
He is now 6 for 6 in Olympic finals over his career - breaking four world records in the process, including three in Beijing in 2008.
Bolt also heads home with an extra souvenir. After winning on Saturday, he pleaded with an official to let him keep the yellow baton he was clutching. Told he'd be disqualified if he didn't hand it over, Bolt complied, and some nearby spectators booed. About 40 minutes later, that same official approached Bolt and returned the stick. Bolt responded with a bow of thanks and a chuckle, kissed the baton - and then asked his teammates to autograph it.
Allyson Felix also won her third gold of the Games, giving the 4x400 relay team a big lead halfway through the race and the US further closed in on winning the medals table with nine gold overall.
Sanya Richards-Ross had an easy relay anchor leg to add this gold medal to her 400-meter gold. Felix earlier won the 200 and 4x100 relay.
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