Two sides of sportsmanship

It was a double lightening by Jamaican Usain Bolt who shattered back to back world sprint records at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany last week.

What a spectacular nine days of track and field action it was in the German Capital! It was simply a great treat of athletics for millions of sports lovers across the globe.

The most 'delicious' of that 'athletic treat' served in Berlin was the world record in men's 100m and 200m by Bolt, who cemented his place as the world's fastest man. He battered his world marks by convincing margins to become the most successful sprinter ever when it comes to the record beating form.

The best ever sprint double in the world athletic history was the then world record 200m and 400m double of American Michael Johnson. Only Bolt could better that feat by breaking an evenly harder sprint double in the shorter version.

Above all, bettering one's own world records give even a better feeling and this is exactly what the 23-year-old Jamaican did. He first improved his own men's 100m world mark of 9.69 seconds by 0.11 seconds - a feat hardly anyone expected in such a grand style.

The 'Jamaican Jaguar' annexed the 200m gold medal as well with yet another world record inside five days. Bolt's world's fastest men's 200m timing of 19.19 seconds looks more like a grandparent's year of birth than a time for the half a lap race.

Hours before Bolt's dream 200m dash, former 200m World record-holder and Olympic champion Michael Johnson had said that Bolt was too tired to improve on the existing world record of 19.30. But at the end, Bolt not only proved Johnson wrong but also announced that he needs a trainer to teach him what fatigue is all about.

When Johnson took the men's 200m to his custody some 13 years ago, clocking 19.32 seconds, it was widely acknowledged as one of the toughest records on the books to erase. But Bolt proved nothing is impossible as he bettered it in Beijing.

When the Jamaican sprint merchant set his world records in the Chinese capital last year, he was clearly trying harder in the 200m compared to his easing-down exploits in his 9.69 run over 100m. But a the -0.9m/s wind reading in the Beijing 200m final gave hope that Bolt could improve on it further under better conditions.

At times, misfortune could show the pathway to success. This is exactly what Bolt experienced in the 200m final. The final got off to an inauspicious start with Frenchman David Alerte taking a false start at which Bolt had a poor reaction of 0.345. If it was not a false start, Bolt might never have set a new world record.

But fortune struck Bolt as he had another attempt to start and at the second time of asking he was absolutely perfect, reacting quickly to the starter's order in 0.133, the fastest reaction of the field.

It was a treat to watch at Berlin's Olympiastadion when the lanky Jamaican was at his top gear. He flew around the bend and surged into the lead as he shot into the home straight in the men's 200m final.

Despite his record breaking run, Bolt feels that the men's 200m final "wasn't a good race". But he rates it to be "a fast one".

The Jamaican sprint superstar has now reached Zurich for his next 100m challenge scheduled for tomorrow (28).

He is scheduled to visit RailCity, Zurich's main station, today to watch his fans who will try to race against his 'double' - made of paperboard, at world record speed.

It would be interesting to see how the fastest man on earth fares at tomorrow night's Golden League meeting.

It would not be that easy for Bolt to maintain his class as the undisputed sprint king in the international arena.

When nine-time Olympic gold medallist Carl Lewis was at his peak, none thought that there could be another man to emulate his feats. But few years later, the American 'sprint factory' produced a galaxy of sprint stars.

Jamaican Asafa Powell was the last to join that galaxy of US sprint merchants. It was Maurice Green who shocked the world after Lewis and Canadian Ben Johnson. Joining the galaxy of American sprint stars were Justin Gatlin, Tim Montgomery and Tyson Gay. But Bolt has now pushed them to history books.

What is more important is the humility of Bolt. His down to earth qualities and simple lead up to races adds more value to his historic feats.

In contrast, former world champion Michael Johnson appeared to be a swollen-headed man. That was well evident by the mannar in which Johnson reacted after our own Sugath Tillakaratne, the former Asian Games and Asian Championship gold medallist requested him to pose for a photograph.

It was in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and both Johnson and Tillakaratne ran in a same qualifying round men's 400m heat. Obviously, Johnson did not run an all out and performed merely to qualify burning the least energy.

In contrast, Tillakaratne perhaps did an all out in a desperate bid to advance to the next round. At the end, Tillakaratne had surprised everyone, pushing Johnson to the second place. The overjoyed poor Lankan lad had then requested for a pose with Johnson.

Angered by the outcome of the race and Tillakaratne's immediate reaction, the American superstar had then blasted the Lankan sprinter in abusive language.

That is how Johnson showed his sportsmanship. But Bolt is a different man altogether and would always make millions of friends through his kind acts. That's what sport is all about.