London, August 11: Usain Bolt pleaded with an official to let him keep the yellow baton he carried across the finish line while anchoring Jamaica to a world record in the Olympic 4x100-meter relay.
Bolt didn’t get that souvenir. He’ll have to be happy heading home with three gold medals for the second Summer Games in a row.
About even with the last U.S. runner when he got the stick, Bolt steadily pulled away over the last 100 meters, gritting his teeth and leaning at the line to cap his perfect 3-for-3 Olympics by leading Jamaica to the sprint relay title in 36.84 seconds Saturday night.
Bolt added that gold to the ones he earned in the 100 and 200.
The United States got the silver in 37.04, matching the old record that Bolt helped set at last year’s world championships. Trinidad & Tobago took the bronze in 38.12 after Canada, which was third across the line, was disqualified for running outside its lane.