"My name is Bolt, Lightning Bolt," the reply came in a flash. "I am not Flash Gordon or anybody."
Indeed, you don't need to be a Flash Gordon or a Super Man to run this quick – 9.69 in the 100 metres and now, 19.30 in the 200. You just have to be Usain Bolt, a man who derives his speed, according to his dad, from the yam he used to tuck in as a child.
The track at the Bird's Nest became a parade ground of yam power then, with Bolt smashing two world records to become the first man to hold both the 100M and 200M world records at the same time since his compatriot Don Quarrie in the seventies.
His celebrations after the 200M revealed how much the record meant to him, for this was the event in which he made his name first. He was the youngest world champion in the 200M, topping the event at the age of 15.
‘Dear to my heart’
"The 200 has been my love since I was 15. From the day I became the youngest-ever world junior champion, it has been dear to my heart," Bolt said at the post-match press conference.
"I told myself, if I am going to get the world record, it is going to be here, because the track is really fast. I did a lot of work on the 200M and everything came together tonight. I blew my mind and then I blew the world's mind."
The Jamaican's cool demeanour has captured the imagination of the fans worldwide. As tensions mount in the start area, Bolt is the calmest person around, smiling, brushing his hair and perfecting his trademark celebration – shooting an imaginary arrow into the crowd. "You have to be relaxed and enjoy the competition, that is my way," he said.
Prior to the 200M final, Michael Johnson, whose mark of 19.32 has stood the test of time for 12 years, had remarked that Bolt wasn't yet ready to break his record.
The American felt while Bolt had the speed, he was yet to acquire the speed endurance needed for 200. But the Jamaican revealed that he had been working on that as well.
"I have been running 400M as part of my training in the early part of the season. So I am well prepared," said Bolt. But he ducked questions on whether he was ready to step up to the one-lap race. "A lot of people, like you guys (the media) will be pushing for the 400. But don't hold your breath, I won't be running the 400 anytime soon. I don't want to say anything more, because my coach might hear it and he would want me to run the 400. But anything is possible."
Asked what he was thinking when watching his race on the big screen, Bolt replied: "Hey, I look cool, and I was thinking 'that guy is fast."
