Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to set a new Olympic record of 9.63 seconds at the London Olympic games. Image

Usain Bolt has revealed the strategic mistake that cost him another world record at the 2012 Olympic games in the 100 meter event.

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has revealed the tactical blunder that cost him a fourth world record in the 100 meters at the London Olympic games in 2012.

With eight Olympic gold medals and multiple world records to his name, Bolt’s legacy as the fastest man on the planet remains unshakable, even in retirement.

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Bolt currently holds the world records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m with times of 9.58 secs, 19.19 secs and 36.84 secs. His first world record was in the 100m in 2008 when he posted a time of 9.72 secs in New York.

He lowered it to 9.69 secs at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and then to 9.58 secs at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. He holds the three fastest times ever run 9.58, 9.63 and 9.69.

Also in 2008 in Beijing, he set a new 200m world record taking 0.02 off Michael Johnson’s previous mark with a time of 19.30 secs.

 He lowered this time further to 19.19 secs in Berlin in 2009, a time which may stand for years to come.

Bolt could have ran faster than 9.58 if it weren’t for one mistake

Usain Bolt is adamant he could have smashed the 9.58 100m world record in 2012 if not for one mistake Usain Bolt is adamant he could have smashed the 9.58 100m world record in 2012 if not for one mistake

 As part of the Jamaican 4x100m team, Usain broke three world records – 37.10 secs in Beijing in 2008, 37.04 secs in Daegu in 2011 and 36.84 in London in 2012. Jamaican teams with Usain have seven of the ten fastest 4x100m times in history.

At the 2012 Olympics though, he was looking to lower his record in the 100 meters even further. His target was to become the first man in history to run in under 9.5 seconds.

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Although it was a race that saw him obliterate a star-studded opponent list that included Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell, Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay to set a new Olympic record of 9.63 seconds, Bolt has opened up on the strategic mistake he made that cost him a faster time than 9.58 seconds in the showdown.

“I messed up because I really should have gotten that world record that day,” Bolt admitted during an appearance on Ready Set Go.

“I never think about world records. When we were getting towards the end, I looked across and was like ‘I got them,’ and then when I got to the last meters I was like ‘s**t, world record!’”

That moment of realization, he says, led to an early and costly lean.

“I started leaning too early because as soon as it clicked, I looked at the clock and was like ‘oh s**t!’ My coach was like, ‘so stupid! What was that!?’ I was leaning way too early, so I slowed down a little bit — it was crazy.”

While 9.63 remains an Olympic record, Bolt’s confession adds a fascinating “what if” to one of the most electrifying sprints in Olympic history.