Usain Bolt's dramatic and inglorious end to his top level career was the fault of world championship organisers, his furious teammates claimed
Britain's Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake celebrates winning gold with his team in the final of the men's 4x100m relay athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 12, 2017. Pic/AFP
Usain Bolt's dramatic and inglorious end to his top level career was the fault of world championship organisers, his furious teammates claimed.
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The 30-year-old 100m and 200m world record-holder collapsed on the London Stadium track while anchoring Jamaica in the final of the 4x100m on Saturday night as cramp gripped his leg. Bolt lay prone on the track but waved away the offer of a wheelchair and eventually, aided by his three teammates, limped across the line before making a hasty as he finished his competitive career. But his team-mates complained that his problem was caused by organisers keeping the relay teams waiting in the cold before their race as several medal ceremonies were held. "They were holding us too long in the call room. The walk was too long. Usain was really cold. In fact Usain said to me, 'Yohan, I think this is crazy. 40 minutes and two medal presentations before our run'. We kept warming up and waiting, then warming up and waiting," said Yohan Blake, the 2011 100m world champion.
Jamaica's 110m hurdles world champion Omar McLeod, who ran the first leg, said: "It's heart wrenching. It was ridiculous, we were there around 45 minutes waiting outside, they had three medal ceremonies before we went out, so we were really trying our hardest to stay warm."
Their criticism echoed that of USA's Justin Gatlin: "It was the elements. It was a recipe. I understand we need to be ready early but we took our clothes off a little too early. It's a little chilly in here so that's where the cramp came from."
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