RIO DE JANEIRO — Everybody can beat Usain Bolt. Just ask them, and they’ll tell you.
The question was put to Michael Johnson, four-time American gold medalist and the only man to win the 200m and 400m in the same Olympics: Could Bolt could beat him? “Absolutely not,” Johnson said with a grin. “Of course not. He is close, he comes close. He’ll tell you that. But he wouldn’t beat me.”
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On Sunday night, Bolt firmed up his place as the world’s fastest man when he electrified the Olympic Stadium here with a come-from-behind performance, erasing a clunky start by gliding to the front of the pack over the last 20 meters to win his third straight gold medal in the event.