Super Bolt destroys 200m world record

In a devastating 200 metres run, he broke Michael Johnson's world-record in a time of 19.30 seconds.

Bolt, who was a relative unknown in the sprinting world just a year ago, broke the 100m record on Saturday when he won the first gold of a brilliant double.

Johnson's 200m record had been 19.32s.

Bolt, who turns 22 on Thursday, made a brilliant start and he was already well clear of the field coming into the straight.

But, unlike the 100m final, where he began celebrating well before the line, this time he sprinted through the tape to initially stop the clock at 19.31s, a time that was swiftly rounded down to 19.30s.

Churandy Martina, of the Dutch Antilles, took silver in 19.82. US runner Wallace Spearmon crossed the line in third place in 19.95, but he was disqualified for running out of his lane and team-mate Shawn Crawford, who ran 19.96, was promoted to the bronze medal.

The US team announced shortly afterwards that they had lodged an appeal over Spearmon's disqualification.

Britain's Christian Malcolm finished seventh in 20.40.

When Bolt set off on his lap of honour, "Happy Birthday" rang out over the tannoy.

Bolt is the first man to win an Olympic sprint double since Carl Lewis in 1984 and he joins an illustrious list of just nine athletes, including Jesse Owens and Bobby Morrow, to have achieved the same feat.

Few Olympians, however, have dominated the sprints in quite the manner of Bolt.

He coasted to victory in the 100m final on Saturday and even afforded himself a little jig as he crossed the line.

Had he run to his full ability in that race, he would have undoubtedly beaten the 100m world record by a greater margin.

Olympic legend Johnson had said early on Wednesday that he felt that his record would not be broken on Wednesday night, but that it was only a matter of time before he could "kiss it goodbye."

But Bolt had other ideas and the determination on his face was clear as he powered down the home straight before glancing anxiously at the clock as he crossed the line. "In order to run 19.30, he has to run the curve better and hold his speed for longer," Johnson had added earlier.

"I didn't think he would run 9.69, but I think he could have run 9.62 if he had run to the finish and tied up his shoes."

In the final event of the evening, Jamaica's Melaine Walker won gold in the 400m hurdles in a new Olympic record of 52.64s.

Walker powered off the final hurdle to finish comfortably ahead of US sprinter Sheena Tosta with Britain's Natasha Danvers putting an injury-plagued season behind her to snatch bronze.

Danvers was almost caught on the line by the fast-finishing Anastasiya Rabchenyuk of Ukraine and she waited for confirmation from the giant scoreboard that she had held on to set a new personal best of 53.84.

Olympic sprint doubles
1904 Archie Hahn (US)
1912 Ralph Craig (US)
1928 Percy Williams (Can)
1932 Eddie Tolan (US)
1936 Jesse Owens (US)
1956 Bobby Morrow (US)
1972 Valeriy Borzov (Soviet Union)
1984 Carl Lewis (US)
2008 Usain Bolt (Jamaica)