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Galacticos seek final hurrah in Brazil
MUMBAI: The Rio Olympics which opens on Friday night will be the last hurrah for some of the modern giants of global sport.
MUMBAI: The Rio Olympics which opens on Friday night will be the last hurrah for some of the modern giants of global sport.
US swimmer, Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympic champion, has come out of retirement to have one last fling and sign off with more to his record medal count. Jamaican Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter ever in athletic history is gearing up to take a final bow by accomplishing an unprecedented treble-treble success.
Phelps, who goes into his fifth Olympics, and Bolt, will have some elite names for company, men and women who want to sign off in a blaze of glory.
SPECIAL CHAMPIONS
Among them are, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Mo Farah, Lin Dan and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
With each one of them pushing 30 or over, they enter Rio to achieve their personal goals and at the same time entertain the global audience.
Phelps, at home in water than on land, is determined to shake off the negative image, which included the 2014 arrest for driving under the influence and subsequently spending time at a rehabilitation centre. Sixteen years after his first Olympics and four after his most miserable outing, Phelps, now 31, speaks of having rediscovered his love for swimming with the delight of a greenhorn. Although he set the last of his 29 world records in 2009, the most decorated Olympian — 18 gold among 22 medals — has landed in Rio determined to give it all and soak in the occasion, whether he makes the podium or not.
Bolt is chasing the ‘triple treble’ — gold in 100m, 200m and 4x100m. While he hasn’t spoken of retirement in the Olympic year like he did in 2015, Bolt wants to keep winning medals. “To win the triple treble would be my greatest achievement,” he says.
FASTEST, THRICE OVER
Compatriot Fraser-Pryce will look to become the first women to win three 100m Olympic titles. Whether she matches her London 2012 showing remains to be seen, the record will surely spur her on.
Serb Djokovic is the best on the tour by a distance, but his best Olympic effort was a bronze in 2008. He would love to win gold and stamp his authority again over men’s tennis. With Roger Federer pulling out and doubts over Rafael Nadal’s fitness, only defending champion Andy Murray remains a real challenger. But this is Olympics, and a surprise could be lurking around the corner.
Women’s No 1 Serena has won four gold medals, but three of them are in doubles, with sister Venus. It will be the last chance for the defending champion, now 34, to add another singles gold to her catalogue of achievements.
