Melaine Walker after winning the women’s 400m hurdles

Beijing: Jamaica’s Usain “Lightning” Bolt roared to gold in the 200 metres on Wednesday to become the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win an Olympic sprint double. And while Bolt shred the record books, his compatriots too were making history.

Melaine Walker made it yet another celebration for the Caribbean island when she won the women’s 400m hurdles and Aksana Miankova of Belarus took the night’s other gold in the women’s hammer.

Once Bolt had completed his hugely entertaining victory lap the 400m hurdlers took to the track for yet another US vs Jamaica battle.

Walker overhauled American Sheena Tosta in the home straight to triumph in an Olympic record 52.64 seconds. Tosta took silver and Tasha Danvers grabbed bronze for Britain.

Jamaica have now collected seven athletics medals, including golds in three sprints, and could make it a clean sweep after defending champion Veronica CampbellBrown and 100 metre jointsilver medallists Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart qualified for Thursday’s 200m final.

China who came second to the US in Athens 2004, have 45 gold medals, a seemingly unassailable lead that marks their emergence as an Olympics superpower.

Local windsurfer Yin Jian pumped and glided her way to a first sailing gold for China. Then Wu Jingyu won gold in women’s taekwondo on another successful day for the hosts.

The United States lie second with a less-than-expected 26 golds, while next Olympics hosts Britain are a surprising third with 16 golds, their best showing in a century.

(REUTERS)