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In a Dash, Bolt Sprints Into History
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But this year, Jamaica, a country with a population less than 1/100th that of the United States, already has seen Bolt win a stunning double and its women sweep the 100-meter dash. Just before Bolt's victory Wednesday, it sent two women, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart, to the final of the 200-meter dash with the best qualifying times. Minutes after Bolt's run, Jamaica's Melaine Walker set an Olympic record in winning the women's 400-meter hurdles.
The Jamaicans will be overwhelming favorites in both the men's and women's 4x100 relays Saturday.
"We eat healthy. We have the natural talent. We train. And we have a tradition of being great athletes. It's a wonderful gift," said Olivia Grange, Jamaica's minister of information, culture, youth and sports. "We have the best coffee on the planet. We have Bob Marley. And now we have Usain Bolt. We are overjoyed and overwhelmed."
Others have speculated the Jamaicans' success could be because of more than healthy eating, cherished tradition and natural talent. The sport's recent history of drug cheats -- primarily Americans such as Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin, Tim Montgomery and Kelli White -- plus Jamaica's lack of a domestic anti-doping agency has prompted pointed questions about whether Bolt and his countrymen are clean.
Bolt has been drug-tested at least 11 times in 2008, according to Nick Davies, a spokesman for the world track and field federation. He also has been tested four times by the International Olympic Committee -- including three blood tests -- since he arrived in China, Davies said.
"Let me tell you something with regards to drugs," said Herb Elliott, the Jamaican team's chief doctor. "I am the person who tests in Jamaica. I have tested [Bolt] between November of last year and [now] 15 times. Since he has come [to Beijing], he has been tested six times for blood and urine. So anyone who wants to accuse this person or this program about drugs, I can say just one thing: We are ready at any time at any hour to be tested."
If Bolt is indeed clean, his showmanship and sheer talent could make him the savior of a sport that seemed threatened with irrelevance in the wake of previous doping scandals. It is a role, however, that appeared ill-suited for him until now.
In Kingston in late June, at the Jamaican national championships, he seemed withdrawn and edgy, running his races mostly joylessly and repeatedly telling disappointed fans and media members -- breathlessly awaiting a record-setting performance -- that he was there only to qualify for the Olympics. He spoke of the borderline suffocating attention that came with the title of World's Fastest Man, which he had earned in May, but already seemed to realize it was only going to get worse.
"After the Olympics," he said then, "I'm going to go home to Trelawny and just disappear."
He drove himself home after those races in a Honda Civic. But when he returns to Kingston, he will be greeted by a new BMW, a gift from his shoe company. In four days, everything has changed for Usain Bolt, for Jamaica and for track and field.
Staff writer Amy Shipley contributed to this report.
