• London 2012 - Athletics

Bolt: I'm not an Olympic legend yet

ESPN staff
August 6, 2012
Usain Bolt produced a sizzling run to win the 100m final © Getty Images
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Usain Bolt has insisted he must win the 200m to secure Olympic legend status and he has told rival Yohan Blake that is what he intends to do.

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Bolt silenced his doubters on Sunday evening by defending his 100m title in a breathtaking Olympic record of 9.63 seconds.

Having come into the Olympics with a cloud hanging over him after being beaten by Blake at the Jamaican trials, Bolt was back to his devastating best.

Defeat to Blake acted as a wake-up call and he is looking to cement his status as one of the greatest Olympians with a 200m win. And he may even run to the line.

"It means one step closer to being a legend," Bolt said. "That's just one step - I have the 200m to go. I'm never going to say I'm the greatest until after the 200m.

"I've told YB (Blake) that the 200m will be different. I've told him already. That's my pet event - I'm not going to let him beat me."

Reflecting on the weeks following his defeat at the Jamaican trials, Bolt said: "The trials gave me a wake-up call. Yohan knocked on my door and said, 'Usain, this is Olympic year'. So I'm grateful for that. My back was hurting. I went and got treatment."

Men's 100m final

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