Perfect Bolt Claims 3 Golds

Usain Bolt is perfect again. And with three gold medals in Moscow, the Jamaican great became the most successful athlete in the 30-year history of the world championships. The 4x100-meter relay gold today erased the memories of the 100 title he missed out on in South Korea two years ago because of a false start. And, combined with an identical 100-200-relay triple from Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Bolt was instrumental in giving Jamaica the first sweep of the six sprint events.

Bolt was still trailing Justin Gatlin when he got the baton on the anchor leg, but a botched US handover and his superior speed were enough to carry him, and Jamaica, to victory. He gritted his teeth, dipped at the line, and then grinned with relief. "I am very satisfied," Bolt said. Bolt had already won the 100 and 200 meters. It was his second such sprint triple at the world championships, matching the two he has achieved at the Olympics. With his victory, Bolt moved to the top of the all-time world championships medals table with eight gold and two silver, edging Carl Lewis, who has eight gold, one silver and one bronze. "A lot of energy here today," Bolt said. It's been an eventful World Athletics Championship: Two female Russian runners earlier kissed atop the winner's podium, causing quite a stir. (More Usain Bolt stories.)