Champ Bolt Slated For Showboating

Superhuman sprinter Usain Bolt has been slammed by Olympic chiefs for excessive "showboating" on the eve of his bid for a third gold medal.

The Jamaican became the fastest man in the world when he claimed gold in the 100m and 200m in Beijing - and he could win a third gold in the 100m relay on Friday.

But he did not act in the "spirit of the Olympic ideal" during his two world record-breaking performances, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said.

Bolt, who was 22 on Thursday, celebrated his double with a shaky-leg dance, and mouthed "I'm Number One" to the crowd, who then sang Happy Birthday to him.

And in the 100m at the Olympics on Saturday, he slowed down to showboat his way over the line in 9.69 seconds.

But Mr Rogge said: "He is a young man but he should show more respect for his rivals. That would be more in the spirit of the Olympic ideal.

"He should shake hands with them after the finish line. However, he is only 21 and he will learn.

"I have no problems with his showboating (before the race) but a shake of the hand or a tap on the shoulder immediately after the race would be a good gesture."

He criticised the sprinter's slow down in the 100m race, and his chest-beating gesture that could be seen as mocking his opponents.

"I understand the joy," he said. "He might have interpreted that in another way, but the way it was perceived was 'catch me if you can.' You don't do that."

American sprinter Shawn Crawford said he saw nothing wrong in Bolt's showboating.

He said: "If this guy has worked his tail off, every day, on his knees throwing up like I was in practice, he deserves to dance."

Bolt stunned the crowd in the Bird's Nest stadium when he became the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win the 100 and 200 golds at a single Olympics, and the only man ever to do it by breaking world records in both.