Usain Bolt World Championships: Sprinter Makes History, Takes Three Golds in One Day
Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter recognized as the fastest man in the world, made history Sunday in Moscow when he won his third gold medal at the 2013 World Athletic Championships, anchoring Jamaica in the 4x100 relay.
Bolt became the most decorated competitor at Sunday's competition after winning a gold medal in the 4x100-meter relay final, the last race of the day. This was Bolt's third consecutive gold win in a single day, thus giving him the record for most world championship medals; the well-known athlete had won the 100 meter and 200 meter races earlier in the day.
Previously, American sprinter Carl Lewis held the record, but while bolt hold a total of eight gold and two silver world championship medals, Lewis only holds eight gold, a silver and a bronze.
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Following his triple-victory on Sunday, Bolt flashed a smile to the crowd and threw his sprinting shoes to eager fans. He then took to the track in Moscow to perform a traditional Cossack dance while barefoot. The dance involves the person folding his arms across his chest and keeping his back straight as he kicks his feet out in front of him, bending his knees and lowering his body to the floor. Photos and videos show Bolt attempting the dance on the track, but ultimately stumbling as he lowers his body.
"I'm not even sure which country [the dance is] from," Bolt told the Associated Press, adding "It just went along with the music, so I did it."
Bolt told the Los Angeles Times that in spite of breaking the record for most world championship medals, he plans to keep working and pushing himself. "I'll continue dominating," Bolt said. "I'll continue to work hard. For me, my aim is to continue hard into the greatness thing."
Bolt's Sunday triple win now makes him the most successful athlete to ever compete at the 30-year-old world championships. While Bolt was initially trailing American Justin Gatlin at Sunday's relay final, a botched U.S. handover of the baton helped Bolt cross the finish line first.
"I wasn't really worried about Justin," Bolt told NBC News following the race. "I knew if he got the baton in front of me, I could catch him. So it was just going out there to run as fast as possible," Bolt added.
Bolt remains the reigning champion in the 100 meter, the 200 meter, and the 4x100 meter relay. His efforts on Sunday, along with those of fellow Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, caused Jamaica to sweep all six sprinting events for the first time.
