'Lightning' Bolt strikes 9.69 twice

PERHAPS IT was just coincidence, maybe it was a sign of things to come, but Usain Bolt had broken his own world record and declared himself Olympic champion days before gracing the track for Saturday's final in Beijing.

A video posted on Youtube shows Bolt and team captain Maurice Smith playing the Puma-made Internet game: Chasing Bolt, which pits players against a simulated version of the world-record holder in his 9.72 seconds run.

Youtube video

In the video, the yet-to-be Olympic champion declares: "I don't even think I can beat me. That's how fast I am".

However, Bolt, who faced off against his roommate Smith, on the game, beat his own world record of 9.72 seconds.

His time was an incredible 9.69 seconds.

"It is going to take a lot to beat me," says an excited Bolt after beating himself in the video game.

"I am the Olympic champion of the world ... number one ... 9.69, no one can beat me," Bolt says.

The video was posted on Youtube two days before the finals, where Bolt ran a world record 9.69 seconds to take Olympic gold.

"He ran 9.69 in the video game two days before the final .. strange coincidence," was one response to the video post.

Another respondent said: "Oh my gosh! It was a d?j? vu ... 9.69 it is! Congrats champion."