Usain Bolt cemented his status as an Olympic legend by overcoming fellow Jamaican and training partner Yohan Blake to defend his 200 metres crown at London 2012.
Already considered a legend for winning triple gold in Beijing and defending his 100m title here on Sunday, Bolt insisted he needed to win his favourite event again in order to earn that status.
And the 25-year-old did just that as he became the first man ever to win the Olympic sprint double twice in succession, clocking a winning time of 19.32 seconds to lead a Jamaican clean sweep ahead of 100m silver medallist Blake and Warren Weir
After sealing the double-double, Bolt told BBC1: "This is what I wanted and I got it. I'm very proud of myself. I had a rough season, I came out here and I did what I had to do.
"We've been working hard all season. We pushed ourselves, we pushed each other and we're happy."
Asked if he could have had a world record, Bolt added: "I think it was possible...but I guess I wasn't fit enough. I was fast but I wasn't fit enough.
"I came off the corner, I could feel the strain on my back a little bit so I was trying to keep my form, but I stopped running because I knew it wasn't going to be a world record. When I came off the corner I could feel it.
"It was hard. I really dedicated [myself] to my work, I know what London meant to me. I came here and I gave it my all and I'm proud of myself.
"I didn't get a world record - I really wanted to do it in the 200m - but I'm happy."
Blake said: "Usain Bolt has been motivating me all season. Everything has been going good so far."
Third-placed Weir added: "It's a great honour to come here and do what the country wanted, to get the top three.
"The love in London is very, very good.
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