One of life’s most poignant lessons was emphasised at London when there was to be no icing on the cake as the legendary Usain Bolt ran his last 100 metres race ~ and finished third. It stunned the huge crowd in much the same way as at the Oval when Donald Bradman was out of a “duck” in his last Test innings.

Yet at the core of those disappointments lies sport’s singular quality of proving that even the most celebrated superstar remains essentially mortal. Nothing, absolutely nothing can take away the glory of Bolt’s domination of the track in such a commanding fashion that his eight Olympic gold medals and 11 at the World Championships were reduced to mere statistics.

Maybe Carl Lewis and Jesse Owens would contest the accolade of Bolt being the most accomplished sprinter of all time, yet there was a ring of truth to Sebastian Coe likening Bolt to Muhammad Ali: while others might opt to bracket the Jamaican with footballer Pele, hockey wizard Dhyan Chand, and so that it registers with cricket-crazy Indians, the unique Sachin Tendulkar. But since running, and running fast is the basis of all sport, a sprinter is a creature of a special breed, and Bolt was the emperor of that breed.

Yet while few athletes have basked in glory the way Bolt did, he was similarly gracious in defeat and hailed the controversial Justin Gatlin who gatecrashed what the sporting world had wanted to be Usain’s glorious goodbye. True sportsmen have an inherent streak of humility that breaks through in moments of seeming adversity, as it did with Bolt. Yet he ran a lap of honour to tumultuous applause ~ the fans knew that a moment in history had arrived, a moment Bolt had anticipated when he entered the London arena.

Time was running out on him. Opinion will long be divided over whether Justin Gatlin, who won the gold, ought to have been allowed anywhere near the track. Twice banned for doping, he in some ways exemplifies the ugliest manifestation of unfair practices in sport. Calls for a lifetime prohibition run strong, and it is argued that only the weakness of administrative machinery allows “repeat offenders” back on the track. Yet Gatlin has served out his sentence, and rehabilitation is part of any penal regime.

A lifetime ban equates with capital punishment for pre-meditated murder, and everyone is aware of where that debate is heading. It must also be remembered that Gatlin has lived through long periods on the sidelines. That he still had enough in him to come back and win does him distinct credit. Unless he tests positive in London it would be best to endorse Bolt’s admiration of him. And to never forget that upcoming Christian Coleman also beat Bolt to the third spot.