Usain Bolt: Thank You For The Memories

An end of an era was marked on Saturday: arguably the greatest ever sprinter not only in living memory, but of all time, bid goodbye to the tracks he's called home.

Usain St Leo Bolt, at 30-years-old, ran his final race at the World Athletics Championships in London as part of the 4x100m relay.

But it wasn't the glittering send of that he wanted. He suffered an injury halfway on the final stretch and couldn't complete the race, with Team GB winning gold.

We've known about his retirement for some time. In February 2015 he announced that he would be ending his track days - extending his career by one year after Rio when his sponsors convinced him to carry on.

The legend turned pro in 2004, and with a surname such as 'Bolt', we should have known he'd be pretty quick.

Credit: BBC

Joe Townsend of Sky Sports Radio at the World Athletics Champions told LADbible: "Bolt has been very vocal on the war against doping. In his later years, his biggest rival in Justin Gatlin has amplified that."

He added: "Bolt's been so popular because throughout his career he's seemingly competed under zero pressure, laughing and joking right up until the moment he's stepped onto the blocks."

Bolt has broke the world record for the 100m three times - twice breaking his own.

Credit: PA

In 2008, he shaved 0.02 seconds off Asafa Powell's record and ran in 9.72, and just over two months later he was at it again; this time he ran 9.69.

Exactly one year on, in Berlin, he saved an incredible 0.11 seconds off that time to run 9.58. It's that 2009 record that still remains the benchmark today.

And, if that wasn't enough, his 19.19 second time for the 200m is also a world record - set also in 2009.

His first Olympic games were medal-less, but from there he never looked back. He took a double-triple (100m, 200m and 4x100m relay) by winning gold at London and Rio.

Sadly, he was denied the triple-triple thanks to a teammate in the 2008 4x100m relay at the Beijing Olympics.

Credit: PA

But Bolt is so much more than a racer. He's a character and has endeared as many off the track as on it.

His chicken nugget diet reveal at the Beijing Games had the admiration of us all.

"At first, I ate a box of 20 for lunch, then another for dinner," he wrote in his autobiography, Faster Than Lightning.

"The next day I had two boxes for breakfast, one for lunch and then another couple in the evening. I even grabbed some fries and an apple pie to go with it."

To be fair, he admitted his whole career started when, at the age of 12, his coach offered the fastest runner in the group a free lunch.

The LADbible followers also have a fond memory from Beijing too, albeit seven years later. It involves a certain man on a hoverboard.

His personality, his signature pose, his ability to win races by casually not paying attention to others and his loveable nature in interviews or to the crowd also make him a winner in more ways than one.

"His personality means he has transcended the sport," said Townsend. "By being such a huge personality, it attracts a huge fanbase, which is what the sport's been able to piggy-back on.

"Nobody talks about the incredible personalities of Tiger Woods, Cristiano Ronaldo or Michael Schumacher - Bolt is a one off."

The sprinter is also a huge fan of Manchester United - and dreams of playing for them. There were even rumours of him having a trial at one point.

Whatever he chooses to do next, he'll always be remembered as the greatest the sport has ever seen.

Joe Townsend told LADbible: "He'll be terribly missed. He is the greatest. He's the only athlete everyone has heard of.

"Athletics needs somebody new to come along to keep it relevant, but there's never going to be another Bolt."

Usain, thank you for the memories.