Still the fastest

Usain Bolt left no doubt that he is still the world's fastest human with a decisive victory in the men's 100m final at the London Games on Sunday. Meanwhile, Thailand's only medal winner so far has returned home.

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Sports writers have been have fun with Usain Bolt’s last name, using it with the same meaning as lightning bolt. And while lightning bolts usually don’t strike in the same place twice, this one struck in two Olympic finals.

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End of debate as Lightning 'Bolt' strikes twice

Pimsiri returns to Thailand

AFP and Bangkok Post

Four years of effort, exertion and preparation came down to a matter of seconds. 9.63 of them, to be precise.

If there were any serious doubts about Usain Bolt's right to be recognised as the greatest sprinter the world has seen, they were blown away emphatically on Sunday as the Jamaican retained his Olympic 100m crown.

The hottest ticket of the London Games – seats for Sunday's final were reportedly changing hands on the black market for several thousand pounds – had been billed as potentially the fastest race in history.

For once the hype was justified as a field containing the four fastest men on the planet lined up, with Bolt joined by compatriots Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell, and Americans Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin.

As the race was announced on the giant screens, a wave of noise surged round the capacity crowd and camera flashes flickered in every block. But it was nothing compared to the 9.63 seconds ahead.

"The time has come," the crowd were told, to a giant roar.

"80,000 of you; eight men; nine seconds; the men's 100 metres final!"

As the camera panned along the start line, it was show time.

Trinidad's Richard Thompson did a little dance, while Powell gave a mean stare into a TV camera. Gay breathed deeply and raised his right arm aloft. Blake drew himself up to his full height then made some scary monster hands, referencing his adopted moniker of "The Beast."

Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic champion who was later banned for doping, marched up to the camera and back again, before a cheer rocketed around the stadium as Bolt was introduced.

The towering 25-year-old did some impromptu DJ moves and wiggled some running fingers at the camera. The young American Ryan Bailey turned and applauded the crowd, while Churandy Martina of the Netherlands pointed his finger.

They settled down into their blocks.

Three Americans, three Jamaicans, one Dutchman and a man from Trinidad and Tobago and less than 10 seconds to sort out which one would have his name written in gold in Olympic history.

Nervous tension gripped the stadium as the fans held their breath for the seemingly endless seconds on the blocks.

Then the quiet was shattered by a explosion of sound and light, with a deafening ring of cheers, shouts and screams. Bolt, as ever, was not the fastest off the blocks and for a few seconds looked as though his title might have gone. 

But he puffed out his cheeks, looked dead ahead, and by the time he had glanced a few times to his left to see his rivals disappearing behind him, he was dipping for the line and breaking his Olympic record, his eyes on the clock as he did so.

Dancing round the stadium in delight, the hero performed his trademark 'Lightning Bolt' pose, the iconic image for which he will always be remembered.

Four years after dazzling the world in Beijing, 'Lightning' had struck twice.

Meanwhile, Weightlifter Pimsiri Sirikaew, Thailand's only medallist at the London Games so far, returned home Sunday to a warm welcome.

Pimsiri, who won silver in the women's 58kg division, was greeted at Suvarnabhumi airport by her father Kampoon and mother Amornrat as well as hundreds of well-wishers who included relatives from Khon Kaen and classmates from Chon Buri Physical Education Institute.

''I dedicate this medal to all Thais,'' a tearful Pimsiri said.

''It is a present for my mother for National Mother's Day [Aug 12].''

lightning bolt – a sudden flash of lightning in the sky, appearing as a line แสงแปลบปลาบของฟ้าแล็บ
debate – a discussion in which people or groups state different opinions about a subject การถกเถียง
effort – an attempt to do something ความพยายาม
exertion – physical or mental effort; the act of making an effort การลงแรง, การทุ่มเท, ความพยายาม
precise – exact and accurate แน่นอน, ถูกต้อง, เที่ยงตรง
doubt – a feeling of being uncertain about something/someone or not believing something  ความสงสัย
recognise – to accept that something is true or important ยอมรับ
emphatically – very firmly and clearly เน้นย้ำ
retain – to keep รักษา
crown – title; the position of a winner in a sports competition  ตำแหน่งแชมป์
black market –  the illegal buying and selling of goods, especially when it is difficult or expensive to obtain them legally ตลาดมืด
bill – to advertise or claim โฆษณา
potentially – possible in the future ที่อาจเกิดขึ้นได้
hype – advertisements and discussion on television, radio, etc. telling the public about a product and about how good or important it is   การเผยแพร่(เกินจริง) การโฆษณา(เกินจริง)
justified – showing that there is good reason for something มีเหตุผลที่ดีพอ
planet – a large round object in space that moves around a star (such as the sun) and receives light from it, in this case, the planet Earth ดาวเคราะห์
compatriots – people who are from the same country as you are คนชาติเดียวกัน
surge – to increase very quickly เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
capacity crowd – a crowd that completely fills a stadium, hall or other viewing area
flash – something that shines very brightly for a short time แสงวาบขึ้นมา
flicker – to keep going on and off as it shines or burns วูบวาบ
pan – (of a camera) to move in a particular direction, to follow an object or to film a wide area
mean – angry, cruel, or unkind ใจร้าย, โหดร้าย
stare – to look at someone or something very directly for a long time จ้องมอง
aloft – in the air เบื้องบน
reference – to be about something อ้างถึง, อ้างอิง
adopted – coming originally from someone else and taken as your own
moniker – a name; a nickname  ชื่อหรือชื่อเล่น
beast – an animal, especially a large or wild one  สัตว์ใหญ่ สัตว์ป่า
banned –  officially bit alloowed to do something
doping –  using prohibited substances to improve performance
towering – very high or tall สูงลิ่ว, สูงตระหง่าน, สูงเสียดเมฆ
impromptu – done without preparation or planning ไม่ได้เตรียม
wiggle – to move from side to side or up and down in short quick movements; to make something move in this way กระดิก
applaud – to clap (hit) your hands together again and again to show enjoyment or appreciation
starting blocks – the two blocks on the ground that runners push their feet against at the beginning of a race
sort out – to deal satisfactorily or successfully with a problem or a situation, จักการ, แก้ปัญหา
nervous – anxious about something กระวนกระวาย
tension – the feeling of being so nervous or worried that you can’t relax  ความตึงเครียด
grip – to hold something tightly;  to have a strong affect on something เกาะ, ยึด, จับ, มีผลกระทบ
hold your breath – to stop breathing for a short time while something exciting or frightening is about to happen
shatter – to break into many pieces แตกกระจาย
deafening – extremely loud หูดับตับไหม้
title – the position of a winner in a sports competition  ตำแหน่งแชมป์
angle – the direction from which you look at something, especially when it is not directly in front of you มุม
dominate – to control, to be the most powerful or successful ครอบคลุม ควบคุม
puff out – to make something bigger and rounder, especially by filling it with air พอง
cheeks – the soft parts of your face below your eye and between your mouth and ear แก้ม
dead ahead – straight ahead ตรงไปข้างหน้า
glance – to look quickly at something/somebody  แวบมอง, ชายตามอง, เหลือบดู
dip – to go downwards or to a lower level ตกลง
delight – a feeling of great happiness and pleasure ความปลื้มปิติ
trademark - something particularly noticeable that a person typically has เครื่องหมายประจำตัว
pose – to stay in a particular position วางท่า
iconic – acting as a sign or symbol of something
image – any picture that forms in the mind จินตภาพ, ภาพลักษณ์
dazzle –  to impress somebody a lot, etc  ทำให้ประทับใจ
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
well-wisher – a person who expresses their good wishes or sympathy, often to someone who they do not know ผู้ปรารถนาดีต่อผู้อื่น
relative – a member of your family ญาติพี่น้อง
classmate – a person who is or was in the same class as you at school or college เพื่อนร่วมชั้นเรียน
dedicate – to say that you are doing something for somebody, as a way of thanking them or showing respect  อุทิศให้กับ
tearful – crying, or feeling as if you want to cry ร้องไห้,น้ำตาไหล,  อยากร้องไห้