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Bolt gets 9th gold with win in relay

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RIO DE JANEIRO – Undefeated, uncatchable, unquestionably the best.

Usain Bolt bid a blazing-fast farewell to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics – and likely the Olympics altogether – Friday night with yet another anchor leg for the ages. He turned a close 4×100 relay race against Japan and the United States into a never-a-doubt runway, helping Jamaica cross the line in 37.27.

Japan won the silver medal, finishing .33 seconds behind.

The U.S. finished the race third but endured yet another relay debacle – disqualified because leadoff runner Mike Rodgers passed the baton to Justin Gatlin outside the exchange zone. This marked the ninth time since 1995 the U.S. men have been disqualified or failed to get the baton around at Olympics or world championships.

That will cause more hand-wringing in the States.

In Jamaica, they’ll party.

Bolt’s record in Olympic finals: Nine races, nine wins.

Nobody’s done that before, and nobody’s on the horizon to do it again soon.

Along with Bolt for his final trip down the track were Nickel Ashmeade, training partner Yohan Blake and the Jamaican elder statesman, former world-record holder Asafa Powell.

When Bolt received the yellow baton from Ashmeade for his final run down the straightaway, he was even, maybe a step behind, Aska Cambridge of Japan and Trayvon Bromell of the United States.

That lasted about four steps.

With 70 meters to go, it was all over. He looked at the clock — same as he did when he finished the 200-meter victory the night before.

No world record, but he still owns that one, too — it’s 36.84 seconds, set four years ago at the London Games.

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