OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Bolt secures his dream of legend status - but doubts he'll do another double in Rio

By James Toney, Sportsbeat, at the Olympic Stadium

USAIN Bolt proved that lightning doesn’t just strike twice, it strikes twice twice.

SUCCESS: Usain Bolt kissed his 200m gold medal - his fifth Olympic gold - after running the fourth fastest race in history at London 2012

This stadium has seen unrivaled scenes of patriotic fervour in recent days but on Thursday night it became a corner of a foreign field that will forever be Jamaica.

Bolt became the first man ever to defend both the 100m and 200m Olympic titles as he imperiously led home a Jamaican clean sweep of the podium.

And he's still got the 4x100m relay to come and that is odds-on to be a sixth Olympic gold for his collection.

“That was for all the doubters, they can stop talking now because I’m a living legend,” said Bolt, who mimicked one of the Queen’s famous royal waves on the blocks and then produced a command performance.

“After Yohan beat me at the trials, people doubted me but I knew my true fans. It was great to come out here and show people that I am the best.

“I was given a wake-up call at the trials and I give thanks for that. It’s wonderful to show the world what I can do. 

“I told Yohan in 2010 that he came around at the wrong time because the next two years are mine.

“My goal was to become a legend and I need to sit down and find something to motivate me. 

"It's going to be hard in Rio. I'm going to be 30 and these guys will be 26 and they've stepped up already.

"I think I've had my time, but anything is possible - I've made myself the legend and I want to enjoy it right now."

Bolt can do things mere morals can't comprehend or even dream about.

He entertains, he runs, he wins and he even does it after staying up to the early hours with three blondes from the Swedish handball team and gorging himself on fast food.

There is simply no stopping this man on his rapid, relentless and now successful pursuit of legend status. 

He transcends his sport and transcends nationality too, the roar that greeted his win has only been matched by the support given to Mo Farah in the closing stages of his epic 10,000m victory.

He was even easing up in the final 20 metres, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir completing the podium as Bolt fronted a Jamaican 1-2-3 that certainly looked easy as.

“This is the one I wanted and I got it,” he said.

“I’m very proud of myself. I’ve had a rough season but I’ve come out here and did what I had to do.”

There was no world record but that didn't stop him doing the other thing he does best, acting the showman and milking the applause.

He flashed across the line in 19.32 seconds, the joint fourth fastest time in history and he appeared to be easing up on the line.

“I definitely thought the world record was in the air,” he added.

“I think it was fast enough when I came out the corner, but I guess I wasn’t fit enough. 

“I was fast, but I could feel the strain on my back a little bit and when I saw it was ok, I slowed down because I knew it wasn’t going to be a world record. 

“Coming into this, it was hard for me. I’m really dedicated to my work. I knew what London meant to me and I came here and gave it my all.”

SPECIAL MOMENT: Kenya's David Rudisha won the Olympic 800m title in a new world record time on a famous night of athletics in London

Bolt will dominate the headlines but David Rudisha deserves at least equal billing on night were Team GB were finally good hosts and allowed the rest of the world to shine, although elsewhere the nation’s women were showing their fighting spirit in the boxing ring and on the taekwondo mat. 

The sofly-spoken Kenyan - he seems almost embarrassed by the spotlight - couldn't be more different from Bolt but he produced the performance of the evening with a stunning world record in the 800m.

But like Bolt he ran his own race, not worried about what was going on around him, blazing clear of his rivals and then pressing down the accelerator even harder when victory was secured.

Down the straight his only battle was with the clock and he crossed the line the 1:40.91 to exactly a tenth of a second off the mark he set in Rieti nearly two years ago.

"I've waited for this moment for a very long time," he said.

"To come here and get a world record is unbelievable. I had no doubt about winning though at the beginning of the race. 

"Lord Coe is a good friend of mine. I came here in February and he took me around the Stadium. I wanted to come here and make him proud.

"And maybe if I go away and keep working then I can go quicker still."

Rudisha’s performance was one of the best of the Games and like Bolt he’s promising the best is yet to come.

And while it takes a lot to steal the Jamaican’s thunder, on this night he might just have.

© Sportsbeat 2012