Bolt earns third gold, misses mark

BERLIN – Usain Bolt’s third gold medal of the world championships failed to produce a third world record because the Jamaican 4x100 relay team only managed to produce the second-fastest time in history.

“It is a little bit my fault,” an apologetic Bolt said, complaining he was just too tired after nine races in eight days.

“I didn’t run the best third leg. I was happy to get around the track and give the baton to Asafa,” he said. “I am dying right now.”

Compounding Bolt’s fatigue was Asafa Powell’s groin injury, which made the anchor runner uncertain until one hour before the start.

Since the Beijing Olympics, Bolt had won five major gold medals with a world record each time. But after his latest two in Berlin, the Jamaican star and his teammates fell short of perfection.

“The main thing that counted was getting the gold,” Bolt said.

With Powell taking the baton from Bolt for the last leg, Jamaica won in 37.31 seconds, a championship record but slower than the world record mark of 37.10 they set in Beijing last year.

Trinidad and Tobago took silver and Britain got bronze.

The absence of the record left the ever ebullient Bolt initially subdued. Instead of his antics and mimicking, Bolt sat down on the track and stretched. He untied his shoes and hugged Powell.

They planned for a big party in Berlin, though.

“It is top secret where we are going,” Bolt said.

“Anywhere he is going, I am going,” Powell added.

Bolt has plenty of reason to celebrate. The 100 and 200 world-record holder was perfect when it came to his three golds, much like Jesse Owens was 73 years ago when he went four-for-four at the same stadium during the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

And on Saturday, it was another American who took gold in the long jump.

During a final laden with symbolism, Dwight Phillips jumped 8.54 meters on his second attempt to win. His main rival, Olympic champion Irving Saladino of Panama, was eliminated with three no-jumps.

Phillips got his third world championship gold medal from Owens’ granddaughter, Marlene Hemphill Dortch, later Saturday, smiling and hugging her.

“That is just history looking at me in the face. I was so honored,” said Phillips.

Owens won four gold medals in 1936, and as a black athlete became a symbol of racial equality in sports during the days when Adolf Hitler promoted white Aryan supremacy.

The Olympic Stadium did see a world record, just not the one it expected.

Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland set a world record of 77.96 meters to win the hammer throw and earn a $160,000 check for winning a title with a record. (AP)