Rio de Janeiro: History-maker Usain Bolt said he deserves to be among sport&rsquo;s all-time greats after romping to a third straight Olympic 200m gold.
<img title="LEFT: Bolt celebrates his victory at the Olympic Stadium in Rio. pics/aFP" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/aug/20-Usain-1.jpg" alt="LEFT: Bolt celebrates his victory at the Olympic Stadium in Rio. pics/aFP" /> Bolt celebrates his victory at the Olympic Stadium in Rio. Pics/AFP
With a third consecutive sweep of the 100m, 200m and relay sprints in sight, the world&rsquo;s fastest man argued he should be in the pantheon of sporting heroes with Pele, Muhammad Ali and Michael Phelps. &ldquo;I am trying to be one of the greatest. Be among Ali and Pele,&rdquo; he declared in the seconds after the win.
<img title="ABOVE: Jamaica&rsquo;s Usain Bolt (centre) crosses the finish line to win 200m gold." src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/aug/20-Usain.jpg" alt="ABOVE: Jamaica&rsquo;s Usain Bolt (centre) crosses the finish line to win 200m gold." /> Jamaica&rsquo;s Usain Bolt (centre) crosses the finish line to win 200m gold.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll wait to see what you guys write tomorrow,&rdquo; the sprint king added at a later press conference.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just waiting to see what the media have to say and if they put me in that bracket,&rdquo; he said when asked how he stacked up against football star Pele and boxing legend Ali. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve worked all my career, all my life for this moment. Hopefully you can read about me as one of the greatest people in sport, that&rsquo;s my focus.&rdquo;
Bolt, who has now won a staggering 19 Olympic and world titles, insisted he had run his final individual Olympic race. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve proven to the world that I&rsquo;m the greatest and that&rsquo;s what I came here for,&rdquo; he said, sounding for a moment like Ali himself.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why is why I said it&rsquo;s my last Olympics,&rdquo; added Bolt. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t prove anything else. To be eight-time Olympic gold medallist now is a big deal, it&rsquo;s shocking. I&rsquo;ve pushed myself to be the best, there&rsquo;s nothing else I can do.&rdquo; &mdash; AFP

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After third consecutive 200m gold at Olympics in 19.78sec, Jamaican sprint king eyeing spot alongside sporting greats

Rio 2016: Trying to be like Ali, Pele says Usain Bolt

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Rio 2016: Trying to be like Ali, Pele says Usain Bolt

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