We've had the discussion at these Games about who is the greatest Olympian of all time and I don’t think we should judge that just on medals. I think to be the greatest you need to have won an Olympic title and to have successfully defended it, which Usain Bolt has now done twice, with the 100m and the 200m.
But you also need to have done something special. You have to be more than the sport, to be a global superstar — to be somebody who changes history. And Bolt, I believe, is the first track and field athlete who has truly ticked those boxes. We are so privileged to watch this man. It’s not just what he does. It’s the way he does it. He admitted he is not 100 per cent, so he had to dig deep.
He’s shown that as well as having a phenomenal talent, he also has this incredible resilience. He has done that in the last four weeks and proven what a supreme competitor he is.
Although he made it look easy, there was no doubt he was not 100 per cent here — especially in the 200m. He wasn’t laughing and smiling and dropping his arms with 15 metres to go. He knew he had to race to beat Yohan Blake. And he didn’t just beat him; there was daylight between them. We must not take Bolt for granted. He was struggling four weeks ago and he has proven that he is more than just a talented athlete. He is the complete package.
Roger Black is an ambassador for Scottish Widows, the official pensions and investments provider for the London 2012 Olympic Games. As part of the Lloyds Banking Group, Scottish Widows is proud to be an Official Provider of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
