It was a heartbreaking ending to an outstanding track and field career for Usain Bolt on Saturday at the IAAF World Championships in London.
Running the final leg of the men’s 4×100 relay for Jamaica, Bolt failed to finish when a cramp in his left hamstring led him to pull up just after teammate Yohan Blake handed him the baton.
Bolt collapsed on the track, as the British, American and Japanese teams soared ahead to secure their first-, second- and third-place podium spots, respectively. This is the first time since 2008 that a team other than Jamaica won the event at a major meet.
“A lot of the pain is from disappointment from losing the race,” Team Jamaica doctor Kevin Jones told reporters (via the Associated Press) about how Bolt was feeling after the event. “The last three weeks have been hard for him, you know. We hope for the best for him.”