What exactly did he do no other sprinter has ever done before?

I am also puzzled on what Bolt has done that no other spinter has done. It is true that he ran faster than other splinter. However the world record in most events has improved over time. Bolt 9.69 sec for the 100 metres is well below the previous world record. The 100 m was won in 10.3 in 1948 and 9.9 in 1988. I am not sure if he broke Michael johnson world record of 19.32sec for the 200 m. The event was late last night here and although I know he won I do not know the time.

I can remember the amazement in the 1950s when Landy and Bannister broke the 4 Minutes for the mile. Now it is common.The 1500 metres is now well below 4mins, 3.39 in 1976. In recent years the times for winning both the 100m and 1500 have gone up so sometimes it needs a great athelitc to bring it to a more realistic time.

We were discussing this topic of breaking records in chat the other evening, and I made the point that although records are "made to be broken" there eventually must be a final, all-time record which nobody beats.

There is a four minute mile, there might be a three minute mile, but there will never be a ten second mile. So somewhere between the three minute mile and the ten second mile, we reach a time that will be unbeatable.

I agree Dax unless man learns to fly we can not have a ten second mile. I did see last night that Bolt broke the world record in the 200 metres. So he has a claim to fame from these Games. He was quoted in our newspapers as wanting to break the record at the Olympics as the Beijing track was very fast.
It is these factors that make it hard to compare sa with Jessie Owens who won the 100 and 200 metres in 1936 or G. valenty Bozov (USSR) who won the double in 1972.

Usian Bolt is the 8th person to complete the Olympic sprint double. I doubt, although I can't be sure, that others before him have broken both records at the same games. That is only two golds.

Phelps won 8 gold medals, and set 7 world records while doing it. Can you point to anyone that has ever done that before?

True, Spitz had a similiar Olympic record, but Phelps took it one stage further. Usain Bolt has only equalled what others have done (although admittedly very, very quickly).

Can't we give Cassie a break, folks? He celebrates the fact that a 'black' man won gold.

Cass, over the years lots of black people have won in the Olympics--both men and women--and from a lot of different countries--white people from Africa and black people from the US.

Please, give your racism a rest for a while. Please.

Hello Lizbeth you said:

I am sorry if you and others thought I was being racist I was not even trying to be funny.A famous American athlete who covers athletics for the BBC called Michael Johnson went berserk when Usain Bolt ran the 100 meters he said that he has never seen anybody shut down at 90 metres in a race.That's all I was saying,it was an amazing thing to see.I am not a racist and never will be sorry if I caused you any offence.

Don't worry Cass, I didn't see you being racist. Maybe you, just like many others, knew he was going to break the record. I saw the 200 meter race. I saw both actually, but I saw him blast the 200. I was glad in that race that he didn't show-off like in the 100. Bolt is a very fast man. I wonder how long before someone breaks his records? 30 years? 15?

I don't think you're racist Cass, not at all. I see a lot of pride and what's wrong with that?

I see nothing wrong with being pro-black,pro-white,pro-asian, etc., as long as we're not anti against anyone else.

Thank you defian and Sleek for your supportive comments,to say I was surprised by Lizbeth post would be an understatement.