I’m just having fun - says showman Bolt

By Julian LINDEN

OLYMPICS: BEIJING: Aug 23 - Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt showed he has a tongue almost as quick as his feet when he struck back at International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge for criticising his showmanship.

Rogge chided Bolt for gesturing before he crossed the finish line when he broke the 100 metres world record last Saturday, saying he should show more respect to other athletes.

“The crowd loves it. They look for me to see me coming out. I just go out and give them a show,” said Bolt, who won his third gold medal of the Games with another world record in the 4x100 relay on Friday.

“I always enjoy myself after the races and people love us. It’s a great thing.

“It doesn’t matter what anybody thinks or comments, ‘cause I know I’m a fun lover and it’s what I do.

“I please the fans and the fans love it. What I do I do for myself, my coach and the fans. I’m just showing my personality.”

Bolt ran the third leg in Friday’s relay, letting Asafa Powell carry the baton across the line, but he did not let his team mate hog the spotlight.

“Three gold medals and my three world records!,” Bolt said.

“I asked the guys to give it to me and they came through.

“I told them ‘let’s go, we can do it’ and they said ‘we got your back.’

“All I can say is yo, Jamaican sprinters (are) taking over the world.

“We’ve always been the sprinters but we’re going to tell them (the world) we’re taking over forever.”

Powell, who lost the individual 100 world record to Bolt this year, was also in a bubbly mood after Jamaica won five of the six sprint titles in Beijing. “We’re very excited to take the world record back to Jamaica. Jamaica is the sprint capital and we’re going to keep every record,” Powell said.

Reuters