Lightning Bolt struck thrice. And we are referring to Usain Bolt of Jamaica who had just won his third successive 100-meter gold medal at the Macarana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Amidst the enthusiastic crowd chanting his name, Bolt lifted his index finger at the start to show to the world he is number one. He won the sprint at 9.81 seconds and secured his place as the world's fastest man and the greatest sprinter of all time.
His arch-rival American Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Athens Olympic gold medalist, took the silver with a time of 9.89 seconds. Canadian Andre De Grasse won the bronze at 9.91 seconds.
"I expected to go faster, but I'm happy I won," Bolt said. "I did what I had to."
He won his 7th gold after harvesting three golds in 2008 in Beijing and another three in 2012 in London in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4?100m relay. He is expected to repeat in the 200m and relay to score what they called "treble treble."
Meahwhile, South African Wayde van Niekerk broke American Michael Johnson's 17-year-old world record by 0.15 second to win 400m gold in 43.03 seconds. The time stood unbroken for 6,198 days and was established by Johnson in 1999.
Kirani James of Grenada, the 2012 Olympic champion, finished with the silver and LaShawn Merritt of the United States, who won gold eight years ago in 2008 in Beijing, settled for the bronze.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, 29, retained his Olympic men's tennis singles title with a monumental four-set win over Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro.
Murray became the first player to repeat as Olympic gold medalist with a thrilling 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory. The see-saw scoring included 14 breaks of serve in front of a boisterous crowd.
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