Over 6.2 Million Canadians Watched Bolt Take Gold

A massive audience of 6.2 million Canadians watched the world's fastest runner win gold in the men's 100m final Sunday, powering Day 9 (Aug. 5) to be the most-watched day yet for Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium at London 2012. With an average of nearly 5 million viewers watching from 4:52 - 5:03 p.m. ET on CTV alone, Usain Bolt's winning race is in line with the record-setting Top 10 (non-hockey) events from Vancouver 2010. Day 9 (Sunday, Aug. 5) becomes the most-watched yet at London 2012 with 2.5 million viewers watching on average over 22 hours of coverage.

Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium confirms that audiences for London 2012 continue to out-run Beijing 2008, with viewing increasing by an impressive 87%* during Days 7-9. An average of 2.3 million viewers tuned in throughout the Consortium's 22 hours of daily coverage from Aug. 3-5, including an average audience of 2.9 million viewers in prime time. Additionally, a whopping 3.6 million viewers tuned into OLYMPIC DAYTIME during Days 7-9, with 4.3 million viewers tuning in to Sunday's daytime broadcast alone. On CTV, the tape-delayed prime time coverage averaged 2 million viewers, up 43% over CBC's prime time live/tape-delayed coverage of Beijing 2008 (1.4 million) for the same time period.

From the start of the 2012 Games to date, an incredible 30.5 million Canadians - or 90.7% of the population - has watched some coverage on Consortium channels. Additionally, London 2012 continues to be a wide-reaching event with 92% of all women, 91% of all men and 87% of all children experiencing some part of the 2012 Games on television.

In addition to the men's athletics 100m final, the top events of London 2012 on the Consortium networks all took place over the weekend. On Canada's golden Saturday, an average of 2.1 million viewers tuned in as Rosie MacLennan won Canada's first gold medal of the 2012 Games during the women's trampoline final. The men's 1500m freestyle swimming final averaged 2.8 million viewers as Canada's Ryan Cochranewon a silver medal, while the women's team pursuit cycling averaged 2.2 million as Canada won bronze. Additionally, Michael Phelps' last Olympic race, the men's 4x100m medley relay, garnered an average audience of more than 2.9 million on Saturday.

Meanwhile, despite only two days of coverage, athletics (16.3 million) is now a close second to swimming (18.6 million) in terms of most-watched sports by unique viewers.

Usain Bolt Scores Gold For Jamaica's Golden Anniversary

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt sealed his status as the greatest sprinter of all time after retaining the men’s Olympic 100m title with an electrifying display on Sunday.

The world record holder turned on the after-burners at 60m to clock an Olympic record of 9.63sec, the second fastest time in history.

Bolt banished the doubts that had surrounded him in the build-up to the Olympics after he was beaten by training partner Yohan Blake in the Jamaican trials, but the young pretender was left trailing two meters behind.

“I executed and that was the key,” Bolt said. “When it comes to the championships, it’s all about business for me and I brought it.

“I feel extremely good and I’m happy.” Blake, long tipped as Bolt’s successor as the fastest man in the world, claimed silver after equalling his personal best of 9.75sec.

“Usain has been to this level and he knows what it takes, he’s a world beater and he’s the fastest man in the world,” said Blake, who sent Bolt into hiding after beating him in the 100 and 200m at the Jamaican trials.

Blake added: “I have to give a lot of thanks, it’s my first Olympics and I get a silver medal. What more can I ask for? To be the second fastest man in the world behind Bolt is an honor.”

American 2004 Olympic gold medallist Justin Gatlin completed his remarkable comeback from a four-year doping ban by taking the bronze medal in a personal best of 9.79sec. The 2007 double world champion Tyson Gay came in fourth, one hundredth of a second off his teammate Gatlin in 9.80sec, with a third American, Ryan Bailey, fifth in 9.88.

The sold-out 80,000-capacity crowd at the Olympic Stadium were on their feet when the eight finalists, including the four fastest men in the world – Bolt, Gay, Blake and Asafa Powell – lined up.

As the television cameras picked out each racer, the excitement mounted as they reached Bolt in lane seven, dressed in black shorts and the yellow and green singlet of the Jamaican team.

The 25-year-old showed no signs of nerves as he bid to replicate his gold medal showing in the Beijing Games in 2008. To mass delight, he practiced his DJ mixing skills, one hand raised to his ear, and then drew laughter after drawing pretend pistols and registering them after pointing them down the track.

As the starter called them to the blocks, Bolt put a finger to his lips to hush the excitable crowd, briefly crossing himself and looking the sky as the cameras zoomed in.   Bolt seemed his old self shuffling on the starting blocks.  

But as the silence descended on the stadium, the gun went and Bolt’s reaction time from the blocks saw him rocket away, but Gatlin had the edge on his left. Bolt, however, pushed his huge frame through his renowned drive and transition phase after 50 metres.

Teeth gritted and long legs pumping, Bolt completed what turned out to be a remarkably comfortable victory given the quality and strength of the field.  After Bolt crossed the line, he immediately set off on a lap of victory, a Jamaican flag draped over his shoulders and Blake in tow.  He stopped to perform his customary “bow and arrow” pose at various points, to chants of “Usain, Usain!” ringing around the stadium.

Bolt revealed afterwards that his false start in last year’s world had been worrying him before the race, but his coach Glen Mills put set things straight for him.  “My coach told me ‘stop worrying about the start, the best part of your race is at the end,” he said.

Bolt’s teammate and former world record holder Powell was left in a crumpled heap after pulling up and crossing the line in 11.99sec. The two other finalists, Churandy Martina of the Netherlands and Trinidadian Richard Thompson, crossed the line in sixth and seventh in 9.94sec and 9.98sec respectively.

It was a remarkable result for Bolt, who revolutionized sprinting, and indeed athletics, four years ago in Beijing, setting then-world records when winning the 100 and 200m titles, and also starring in a record-breaking Jamaican quartet in the 4x100m relay.

He left the Chinese capital as one of the most recognizable figures in world sport, unbelievably going on to beat both his individual sprint marks with new times of 9.58sec and 19.19sec in the Berlin worlds in 2009.

Bolt lost his world 100m title in Daegu last July to Blake after sensationally false-starting in the final, but has fired back in most emphatic fashion.

Ready Set Start: Usain Bolt's Legs Are Ready

A laid back Usain Bolt has decided the best way to improve his not-so-perfect start is not to worry about it, the Jamaican world record holder said on Thursday. "The more I focused on it, I think the worse it got," Bolt told Reuters in an interview following a packed news conference.

Starting has never been a work of art for Bolt as he struggled to squeeze his long legs into the blocks and then tries to get them moving at full stride but the woes have increased in the past 12 months. First there was the false start in the final of last year's world championship 100 meters that ended his chances of defending his title in South Korea.

Then a month ago at the Jamaican Olympic trials, a sluggish Bolt lost the 100 and 200 to world sprint champion and training partner Yohan Blake, as in the shorter race he was way off the pace over the opening strides.

"So I sat down with my coach," Bolt said in an interview arranged by his kit sponsor Puma. "He said stop worrying about the start and compete. So that is the plan (in London). Forget the start and get it (the race) right."

A strained hamstring that slowed him at the Jamaican trials has healed, and the world's top sprinter says he is now in championship mode with no major thought of trying to better his 2009 world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100 meters.

Yohan Blake To Race At Spritzen Leichtathletik Meet Before Olympics

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake will compete in Switzerland next week in his first race since beating Usain Bolt over 100m and 200m in national Olympic trials. Organizers of the Spitzen Leichtathletik meet in Lucerne said Blake will run in the 100 next Tuesday.
"It's his first run after the trials and perhaps his only run before the Olympics," meeting director Terry McHugh told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Blake, the 100 world champion, clocked a personal best and world's season-leading time of 9.75 seconds to beat Olympic champion Bolt in Kingston last month. He also ran a world-leading 19.80 to win the 200.
Blake is scheduled to open his London Olympics in the 100 heats on Aug. 4.
For 26 years, Spitzen Leichtathletik has been renowned for being well organized without the pressure and intensity that accompanies a top-tier Diamond League meeting.
"An athlete needs to remain competitive but they don't need to face the world," McHugh said. "The meeting has a reputation for being a fast track. Most importantly, it suits their plan."
The 100 meet record is held by another Jamaican, Nesta Carter, who timed 9.86 in 2010.
Blake has pleasant memories of running in Switzerland.
Last September in Zurich, he made his first competitive appearance after becoming world champion in Daegu, South Korea.
Blake set a then-personal best of 9.82 to win the Diamond League final at the famed Weltklasse meet.

Puma Yard To Focus On Jamaican Culture

Global sportlifestyle brand PUMA® announced today that The Boiler House, part of the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane in Shoreditch, East London, will be transformed into the PUMA YARD this summer to celebrate the global sporting events taking place this July and August in London.  For 17 days and nights during the Games, the Jamaican-themed PUMA YARD promises to be the ultimate destination, offering a convergence of sports, music and lifestyle activities that will deliver a one-of-a-kind fan experience.  PUMA is the long-term partner of the Jamaica Olympic Association and the Jamaica Track & Field team including the World's Fastest Man, 3 time Olympic gold medal winner Usain Bolt.  Puma Yard is free to the public and will open from Friday, July 27 to Sunday August 12, 2012. The 479,160 square foot PUMA YARD comprises an indoor PUMA Social Club and an outdoor BACK YARD.  The BACK YARD, which can accommodate 500 guests at a time, will feature Kingston-inspired food stalls serving authentic Jamaican cuisine, a Beach Bar with refreshing island libations, music and entertainment, recreational areas, giant TV screens so fans can cheer on the athletes and the PUMA Speed Test where consumers can test their speed against the record setting 9.58 dash of the World's Fastest Man, Usain Bolt. Also situated within the BACK YARD is the PUMA QUAD, a retail space built from four 40-foot shipping containers, featuring a multi-level shopping experience complete with a rooftop deck bar. Visitors can score exclusive PUMA YARD lifestyle-performance products, Usain Bolt-inspired trainers, and Summer Games fan wear designed exclusively for PUMA by Cedella Marley, daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley. Adjoining the BACK YARD is the indoor PUMA Social Club, a shared social space with capacity for another 500 guests where PUMA will host events and everyone-can-join fantivities like foosball and ping-pong. This Kingston-cool lounge pays homage to the "After Hours Athlete" who finds inspiration in social competitions among friends, rather than hardcore sporting endeavours. The PUMA Social Club at the PUMA YARD is a continuation of the popular Social Clubs that PUMA has launched in major cities all over the globe, from Abu Dhabi to New York to Tokyo to Paris and beyond, celebrating the "After Hours Athlete."  A VIP section within this PUMA Social Club will serve as a special hospitality space for executives and VIPs.  PUMA YARD doors open each day at 12:00 noon for the afternoon session and at 19:00 each evening for the evening session.  Admission is free but advance ticketing is required.  To get in on the action, fans must visit www.puma.com/yard and register for access. Digital tickets can be printed from home or scanned from a smart phone at the point of entry. Registration begins During the 17 days of operation, PUMA YARD will host a list of DJs, Club nights as well as live performances sure to get the crowd on their feet.    Headlining the grand opening of the PUMA YARD, just in time for the Games' Opening Ceremonies on July 27 is the talent of London based electronic dance music heavyweights Groove Armada. Groove Armada, fronted by Andy Cato and Tom Findlay, are sure to set the stage ablaze. The band will play an exclusive DJ set at the Yard and set the tone for things to come. Another major act will take the stage on Jamaica Independence Day, August 6, when PUMA YARD welcomes Jamaican born reggae artist Gyptian.  Gyptian's "Hold Yuh" album and the title track have received critical acclaim globally.  His home-grown, yet globally-infused reggae sounds are the perfect way to honor the 50th year of Jamaica's independence. The PUMA YARD party reaches a final crescendo on August 11 and 12, with big blow-out performances from amongst others, the inimitable Professor Green. After exploding in the music industry with his current, double Gold-selling album, At Your Inconvenience, Professor Green has become a household name. He has appeared at major festivals, performed on the X-factor and had a list of chart-topping singles and albums.  Professor Green is also a brand ambassador for PUMA and collaborates with the sportlifestyle company on a number of different projects.   Puma yard will be open to members of the media will be treated to a preview of the PUMA YARD during the Jamaica Olympic Association's official press conference slated for July 26, one day before the facility opens to the general public.  Olympic fans will be welcomed into the Jamaican space beginning July 27, the day of the Games' Opening Ceremonies. The Opening Ceremonies will be broadcast live to the YARD for all in attendance. Further, the PUMA YARD will be a hot spot to view the greatly anticipated 100m, 200m and 400m relay finals during the Games. All events will be live-streamed on the big screens throughout the complex.   August 6 marks another important date on the PUMA YARD calendar when it plays host to a special celebration commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Jamaica's Independence.  One Love will be the theme for this vibrant event and visitors to the YARD will revel in a unique line-up of live entertainment, activities and special appearances by notable personalities.

Puma And Cedella Marley The Perfect Fashion Team For London2012

The Jamaica Olympic Association and PUMA have launched the Jamaican Team uniforms for the London 2012 Olympic Games™, including podium and ceremony wear with the help of Jamaican Track Athlete and World’s Fastest man Usain Bolt. Fashion designer Cedella Marley, daughter of Reggae icon the late Bob Marley, unveiled her designs alongside Usain Bolt at the launch in London today.

The designs will be worn by the entire team (men and women), including three-time Jamaican Olympic gold medallist, fastest man in the world and PUMA athlete Usain Bolt.  PUMA’s partnership with Marley, the eldest daughter in the Jamaican family dynasty, underscores the brand’s long-time commitment to the Caribbean nation, with its rich cultural heritage, global music contributions and its unparalleled dedication to Athletics.

“It is truly an honor to design this collection for my home country and my home team,” said Cedella Marley.  “It’s not even a dream come true because it’s something I never dreamed would be possible. I ran track in high school in Jamaica and I’m still a huge fan of Jamaican Athletics, so to have a role in creating the outfits for our Olympians is a thrill. I admire what PUMA has been doing in Jamaica over the years and the Marley family has the same type of give-back philosophy. I think this partnership is going to be legendary.”

Staying true to PUMA’s DNA of sportlifestyle, the collection incorporates high-tech fabrics and silhouettes engineered to enhance the performance of the athletes hailing from the fastest country in the world—Jamaica. Taking inspiration from the vibrant colors and patterns of the Caribbean nation as well as the African influences that have come to characterize that country, Cedella Marley’s unique designs are sure to make the world take notice in the summer of 2012.

“I can’t think of a better person to design our Olympic outfits than Cedella,” said Usain Bolt. “PUMA got that right...hooking up with a legendary Jamaican. She’s a great designer but also carries on the spirit of our nation through the legacy of the Marley family. It’s going to be inspirational to run in London with that energy surrounding me.”

PUMA’s Olympic wear will be accompanied by a lifestyle collection of apparel, footwear and accessories which will be available at PUMA retail stores globally in June 2012.

Usain Bolt Gets Serious About London Olympics

With less than two months to go before the world's fastest man Usain Bolt contends for gold at the London Olympics, Bolt Bolt is slowing down, but only off the track.   The charismatic 25 year old triple Olympic champion is realizing he doesn’t have the energy levels he once enjoyed. Late nights are out, and getting to bed by 11 p.m. is definitely in.

“When you become older it’s the fact you don’t have enough energy like once,” Bolt said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday. “I could stay up all night and (then) go running, but now it’s not the same. You need enough rest, and for me that’s OK because you learn. You live and you learn.”

Bolt who is infamous for his laid back attitude and fun-loving yet spontaneous antics is quick to tell you that he is "dead serious," when it comes to what actually matters -defending his three Olympic gold medals in London in August.

“You have to look at it seriously,” he said. “I have a goal. I want to be a legend. And this Olympics, I think, will be the one to make it (so) because it’s in London, it’s central, it’s where everyone is watching.”

Track and field fans on a global level are watching every move Bolt makes these days. Insiders and fans alike were not real impressed with Bolt's start to the European season last month. Bolt clocked a downright slow — by his standards — 10.04 in winning a 100-meter race in Ostrava, Czech Republic. However, the world record-holder’s was back on track the past Thursday night, when he electrified the Diamond League meet in Rome with a season-best 9.76.

“Take my eye off the ball? It was just one of those things,” Bolt recalled in a London hotel, wearing a Bob Marley T-shirt. “I came to Europe and didn’t get enough rest and it was an off day in (Ostrava).

“Now that I know that if I don’t get enough sleep in Europe ... I will be off form so I am happy it happened when it happened,” Bolt said. “I wouldn’t call it a blip, but a learning experience.”

And what he learned all goes back to getting a good night’s sleep.  “I try not to sleep in the days, I really try to stay up because that’s the problem,” he said. “Normally when I felt I want sleep I just go to sleep in the middle of the day, and then when night comes I’m wide awake. “So now I try to stay awake — wide awake — until probably 11, have a shower and just go to bed.”

Bolt's new quest to get enough rest isn’t going to take anything away from his Olympic experience.  He is insisted on staying with the Jamaican team in the Olympic village among the thousands of other athletes during the July 27-Aug.12 games, even though his star status could possibly become a distraction.  Staying somewhere more private just wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable.

“People who stay outside the Olympic Village for me are weird because why wouldn’t you want to stay with your friends, with your teammates, laugh and just have fun — play dominos, just chit chat about everything, motivate the other person,” Bolt said. “There are so many things to do in the village and it keeps, it gets you closer to your teammates, it gets you closer to people. You might pick up a few things.”

Bolt has yet to visit the Olympic Stadium where he hopes to “stamp my name in history.” He hasn’t been avoiding the track. He just doesn’t seem to have been invited.  “I would love to go there,” he said. “I like to walk the track at least once. ... For me, I stop at the 100 meters and look down the straight and then visualize for 20 seconds, 1 minute, just to think about it.”

On Friday, he had to think about it all from a hotel just a seven-minute train ride away from the Olympic Stadium after striking some of his trademark poses on the runway during a launch of the Jamaica gear he’ll be wearing at the games. The green, yellow and black Puma outfit was designed by Bob Marley’s daughter, Cedella Marley.

Bolt established himself as a global superstar at the 2008 Beijing Games, winning both the 100 and 200-meter titles in world-record times, and helping Jamaica win gold and set another world record in the 400-meter relay. His latest world records of 9.58 in the 100 and 19.19 in the 200 were set at the 2009 world championships in Berlin.  Most people are taking for granted that he’ll win both races again in London — the only question is: how fast can he go?

While he’s likely to go full speed to the finish line this time, there’s no way that Bolt’s natural instinct to be an entertainer will be subdued.  “I give them a show, they don’t mind,” he said. “It’s not like I run, wave and go home. It’s fun at the start line, I’m laughing ... there are so many different ways I interact with the crowds. It makes it easy for me, and easy for them to love me.”

Usian Bolt slower than lightening but faster than thunder in Ostrava

Track and Field star and Olympian, Usian Bolt won the 100 meters in subpar fashion yesterday at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czech, Rupublic.  The Jamaican star athlete had a slow start, but managed to forge ahead nonetheless in the final meters for the win. Bolt failed on an another attempt to improve his season’s best of 9.82 at a track meet, held in Jamaica earlier this May. Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis took second place in 10.19, followed by Darvis Patton of the United States in 10.22. Jamaica's Lerone Clarke ran a 10.26 race to finish in fourth place.

"It's hard to explain," Bolt said. "I don't really know what went wrong." "I was looking to come here for a good time. I guess it's one of those days," he said. "I just never got going."  Prior to the race, Bolt stated that he was working on his now infamous slow start, in hopes of breaking his world records in the 100 and 200 at the London games. Bolt, who won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games was competing for the sixth time in Ostrava.  

The runners were forced to start twice after Simon Magakwe had a false, however, that would not be the case for Bolt, who is oh too familiar with jumping before the starter's gun.  As was the case, when he failed to defend his world championship title in Daegu, South Korea, having been disqualified due false start.  

Next stop for Bolt will be the the Diamond League meets in Rome on May 31 and Oslo, Norway, on June 7, before returning to Jamaica for the national trials.  He will return to Europe to run the in the 200m at the Diamond League in mOnaco on July 20, which will be his last race before the Olympics games starts a week later.  In the meantime, he said he will seek advice from his coach to decipher what went wrong in Ostrava.