LIGHTNING BOLT STRIKES AGAIN

MAKING HIS POINT - Usain Bolt shows Asafa Powell which way to go

USAIN “Lightning” Bolt powered the Jamaican men to a world record victory in the 100 metres relay on Friday, sealing his place as the dominant track athlete of the Beijing Olympics.

It was the third world record for Bolt, who has stolen the show in the second week of the Games with his dazzling victories in the 100 and 200 metres and his theatrical celebrations.

Bolt gave an assured performance on the third leg of the relay, safely handing the baton to former world record holder Asafa Powell, who powered home in 37.10 seconds, knocking a solid three tenths of a second off the 15-year-old American record.

“You can’t explain the feeling that you are feeling at the greatest Olympics ever ... it’s won-der-ful,” said Bolt.

“Three gold medals and my three world records! “I asked the guys to give it to me and they came through.

“I told them ’let’s go, we can do it’ and they said ’we got your back.’

“All I can say is yo, Jamaican sprinters (are) taking over the world.

“We’ve always been the sprinters but we’re going to tell them we’re taking over forever.”

The quartet of Bolt, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Asafa Powell roared around the Bird’s Nest Stadium to break the mark of 37.40sec achieved by the United States 15 years ago in Stuttgart.

Bolt, the individual 100m and 200m gold medallist, was instrumental in the victory after running a sizzling third leg as the team finished well clear of Trinidad and Tobago and Japan.

Bolt showed he has a tongue almost as quick as his feet when he struck back at International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge for criticising his showmanship.

Rogge crtiticised Bolt for gesturing before he crossed the finish line when he broke the 100 metres world record last Saturday, saying he should show more respect to other athletes.

But Bolt said: "The crowd loves it. They look for me to see me coming out. I just go out and give them a show.

TOP OF THE WORLD - Usain Bolt celebrates as team-mate Asafa Powell looks on

“I always enjoy myself after the races and people love us. It’s a great thing.

“It doesn’t matter what anybody thinks or comments, ’cause I know I’m a fun lover and it’s what I do.

“I please the fans and the fans love it. What I do I do for myself, my coach and the fans. I’m just showing my

personality.”

Bolt ran the third leg in Friday’s relay, letting Asafa Powell carry the baton across the line.

Powell, who lost the individual 100 world record to Bolt this year, was also in a bubbly mood after Jamaica won five of the six sprint titles in Beijing.

“We’re very excited to take the world record back to Jamaica. Jamaica is the sprint capital and we’re going to keep every record,” Powell said.

Just getting round the track safely was a priority for the men after the Jamaican 4x100m women bungled their baton handover to hand gold to Russia and snuff out the Caribbean island’s chance of winning all athletic speed events at the Olympics.

Sherone Simpson failed to get the baton across to Kerron Stewart, the woman she shared the 100m silver medal with, and the Russian sprinters seized their chance.

Jamaica had won both women’s individual speed events as well as the two individual golds seized by Bolt.

The new men’s relay record underlined the Jamaican eclipse of the United States, the traditional track superpower, at this Olympics. The American men and women were knocked out of the relay heats by embarrassing baton fumbles.

“We were disappointed about the women, it was wonderful for us but disappointing for the women,” said Bolt.