Disclaimer: The 2012 London Olympic events take place five hours ahead of US EST, but Us Weekly is reporting the results as they happen and before they air on NBC during primetime hours.
In the blink of an eye, Usain Bolt has proven that yes, he’s still the fastest man ever.
The Jamaican sprinter, who set a new world record for the 200-meter race at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he took home the gold, defended his reigning champ status during the Men’s 200m Finals on Thursday in London.
Sprinting at a lightning-fast 19.32 seconds, Bolt, 25, clocked in three hundredths of a second too late to beat his previous record, but it was good enough to earn him the gold medal — his second for this Games.
It was a proud moment for the man known as “Lightning Bolt” and his country, who swept the event. Teammates Yohan Blake, 22, and Warren Weir, 22, won the silver and bronze, respectively.
On Sunday, Bolt placed first in the Men’s 100m Finals with a time of 9.63 seconds, which helped him set a new Olympic record.
After coming in second for both events at the Olympic Trials earlier this summer, his victories in London allow his fans — and himself — to finally breathe easily again.
“Means a lot, because a lot of people were doubting me. A lot of people were saying I wasn’t going to win, I didn’t look good. There was a lot of talk,” he said in an interview with ESPN on Monday. “It’s an even greater feeling to come out here and defend my title and show the world I’m still No. 1, I’m still the best.”