Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win and set a new world record in the men's 4-by-100 relay at the London Games on Aug. 11, 2012.
One of the more pressing questions entering the London Olympics boiled down to, What’s wrong with Usain Bolt? He didn’t win Jamaica’s Olympic trials — Yohan Blake, his training partner, beat him in both the 100-m and 200-m races. But Bolt quieted the doubters with another stunning Olympic showing. In the 100 m, Bolt beat his time in Beijing, running a 9.63 sec. — a new Olympic record — in the fastest race ever, as seven of the eight finalists finished in under 10 sec. “There was a lot of talk,” Bolt said afterward. “I’m still the best.” Four days later, he won the 200 m, becoming the first Olympian to defend both the 100-m and 200-m titles. “I am now a living legend,” Bolt said. “Bask in my glory.” He wasn’t done: Bolt ran the anchor leg of the 4-by-100 relay two nights later, and he and his Jamaican teammates successfully defended that title too. After the 200 m, Bolt called himself “the greatest athlete to live.” After his performance, you can’t really call that an overstatement.