‘I was just confused’ – Usain Bolt’s last ever race sparked overwhelming boos from crowd
Usain Bolt still cites racing in London as the highlight of his life, even his last appearance ended in a shocking chorus of boos.
The fastest man to have ever lived won three of his eight Olympic gold medals in England for the 2012 games and the nation adopted him as one of their own.
A world record holder for Jamaica in 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres, Bolt set the latter feat in London and also the Olympic 100 metre record during two epic weeks in the British capital.
Bolt became the face of the Games, and not just one of the most famous men alive, but to have ever lived, with London a fundamental part of his legacy.
Yet for all the praise he got in 2012, the story couldn’t have been much more different five years later for the final race of his career.
Bolt returned to the capital in 2017 for the World Athletics Championships, and to the London Stadium, where he became an icon for the nation during his last appearance.
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However, on this occasion, the party was well and truly spoiled, and the consequences left those involved baffled.
Bolt ended up third in the final 100 metre race, only managing bronze when the crowd demanded silver.
On top of that, it wasn’t just Christian Coleman in front of him, but the unpopular figure of Justin Gatlin who took gold with a time of 9.92 seconds.
The American had been banned for eight years in 2009 due to a positive drugs test, making him the villain of the piece.
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The boos rained down from the crowd and then Gatlin put his finger to his lips to shush them.
It was enough venom from the London Stadium to rival even a heavy West Ham defeat, and amid it all, some of those in attendance didn’t know what was going on.
British sprinter Reece Prescod was a passenger as he finished seventh, but summed up the feeling from the rest of the field to the spicy atmosphere.
“I was just confused,” he recalled in conversation with The Guardian. “Normally after a race everyone just claps, but this was weird.
“It felt like we’d all done something wrong. And then Bolt started his lap of honour so they were still booing, but then cheering at the same time. I didn’t know what was going on.”
Gatlin did, though, swapping his shush for a mock bowing down to the icon as the crowd perhaps expected him to during the 9.92seconds moments earlier.
Bolt’s face said it all, though, as one of the coolest athletes of all time, even he looked a little uncomfortable.
Speaking about his career highlight post-retirement, he named London 2012, saying: “I was the flag bearer there, and the stadium was always full, there was crazy cheering.
"It always gives me goosebumps to look at myself. I ask myself: is that me? They are beautiful memories.
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“Knowing that I managed to make so many people happy is wonderful for me."
Five years later he didn’t and as an athlete who always admits he could’ve been even faster, this was maybe the one occasion he could’ve squeezed out some extra magic juice.