BEVERLY HILLS, August 12, (THEWILL) – Usain Bolt, perhaps the greatest sprinter ever, suffered a hamstring injury, in the concluding race of his career, while on the anchor leg of the 4X100m race at the World Athletics championships in London.
THEWILL recalls that Bolt, who was hoping to ride off into the sunset with a successful showing at this year’s world championships in London, met an unexpected anti-climax when he finished in third place at last week’s 100-meter dash final as Justin Gatlin beat him to the title.
On Saturday, Bolt, 33-year-old, was unable to finish the 4×100 relay final for his country making it an agonizing end for the former world champion, who has set world records in the 100m and 200m sprints and taken home an astonishing eight Olympic gold medals, 11 World Championship gold medals, with two silver and a bronze medals.
Bolt pulled up with an apparent cramp to his left hamstring, limped for a few moments before falling to a heap on the track. His fellow teammates came to his assistance and Bolt eventually was able to get back on his feet and limp off the track.
He was later assisted by his team-mates to cross the finish line, applauding the crowd as he did so.
The host country, Great Britain, in a brilliantly executed race by Chijindu Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, finished first in 37.47 seconds, followed by the United States (37.52) and Japan (38.04).
“It’s a cramp in his left hamstring, but a lot of the pain is from disappointment from losing the race,” Jamaican team doctor Kevin Jones said.
“The last three weeks have been hard for him, you know. We hope for the best for him.”
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