All about Bolt, as usual!

In despair and delight, the Jamaican showman was the cynosure

After his sensational performances in the previous edition of the championships in Berlin, Bolt was expected to do a repeat on the blue track of the Daegu stadium but on the first Sunday, the world was in shock when the Jamaican was disqualified for a false start in the final of the 100 metres.

The value Bolt brings to the sport was highlighted in the following days as debate over the rule reached fever pitch but like a true champion, the 25-year-old accepted his mistake and, in two electrifying races, elevated the championships to another plane.

It might not have been Planet Bolt -- the 100M gold was missing -- but it certainly came close to it, with victory in the 200M final preceding a stirring dash in the 4x100M relay, the last event of the competition.

The world record of 37.04 in the shorter relay, the only one of the competition, and the 200M gold in 19.40 seconds were Bolt’s way of saying sorry to the fans for his lapse in the 100M that deprived them of quality fare in the event won by fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake.’

“It wasn’t a great competition for me, but it was a good competition. It didn’t start well but I am happy with the way it ended,” said Bolt, asserting he will be working with serious focus for next year’s Olympic Games in London.

Between Bolt Part I and Bolt Part II, champions were swept aside and champions were born as clear pointers to London emerged in several events. Of the men and women who came with a definite agenda, David Rudisha was in the forefront, the Kenyan world record holder affirming his status as the best in the two-lap race. Rudisha goes to London clearly aware that he now holds the psychological advantage over his main rival, Abubaker Kaki of Sudan.

Like Rudisha, Carmelita Jeter too will head to the Olympic year in confident fashion after sprinting to the 100M gold, while her compatriot Allyson Felix will be nursing a doubt or two after her 200-400 double gold bid collapsed early.

“I am going to re-evaluate my plans for London,” admitted Felix, who still ended the meet with four medals – silver in 400, bronze in 200 and a gold medal apiece from each of the two relays.

In contrast, Sally Pearson had just one gold medal but its brightness put many other successful performers to shade. The Aussie 100M hurdler’s 12.20 seconds was hailed by many as the performance of the championships and she certainly will have the weight of expectations firmly on her shoulders when she begins her Olympic countdown.

Daegu also witnessed a clutch of young men energising the meet with their youthful ebullience. Grenada’s Kirani James, just 19, showed the composure of a veteran while winning the men’s 400M from defending champion LaShawn Merritt while 21-year-old American Christian Taylor – inspired by long jump ace Dwight Phillips’ fourth gold --  ensured some sleepless nights for the experienced Phillips Idowu with a golden leap of 17.96 metres.

Idowu wasn’t the only big gun to bite the dust. Jessica Ennis was edged out by Russian Tatyana Chernova in heptathlon while Yelena Isinbayeva’s glory days seem all but over in pole vault with another defeat entering her books.

Andreas Thorkildsen’s fall in javelin throw too was surprising, coming as it did in a year in which he has gone beyond 90 metres. Also making a sad bow was Cuban Olympic champ Dayron Robles, after beng disqualified for obstructing his Chinese rival Liu Xiang in the 110M hurdles, billed as one of the showpiece contests.

It will, however, be foolish to write them off next year, as Bolt emphasised on the penultimate day. “This will be the motivation for them to come back hard next year. I am sure they will work extra hard to bounce back,” said the Jamaican, himself having bounced back from a distressing setback.

Kenya flexed their muscles in the distance events, leaving their African rivals Ethiopia to pick up the crumbs. Ezekiel Kemboi’s dance of delight after winning the 3000M steeplechase took the cake for celebrations while Kenya also had other classy winners, like Edna Kiplagat, who led an unprecedented sweep in women’s marathon and Vivien Cheruiyot, the winner of the 5000-10000 double.

Ibrahim Jeilan’s win in the 10000M over Briton Mo Farah – who later bounced back in the 5000 -- was small comfort for the Ethiopians whose biggest star, Kenenisa Bekele, made a brave bid to return to the top but was hindered by lack of fitness.

Russia, the host of the next edition in 2013, also enjoyed a successful visit to Daegu, finishing second with nine gold medals. Anna Chicherova in high jump, Mariya Savinova in 800 and Maria Abakumova in javelin were stellar performers for Russia, raising the bar in clutch situations. They didn’t enjoy as big a share of the limelight as Usain Bolt did, but then, he is one of a kind. Off to Moscow, then…!