'Defiant' Bolt kept Jamaican relay win baton despite 'disqualification threat'

Sydney, Aug. 13(ANI): Track legend Usain Bolt managed to secure the winning baton from their 4x100m relay win at the London Games on Saturday, though the six-time Olympic champion was initially informed that the Jamaican team would be disqualified if he didn't return the baton at the end of the race.

In the wake of the Jamaican relay team's world record win on Saturday night, Bolt pleaded with two track officials to allow him to keep the yellow baton he crossed with to win his sixth gold medal.

Initially his plea was rejected, but it appears the sprinter's wild popularity prompted a change of heart by the officials.

he governing body for world athletics, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), could not be contacted for comment, but a number of other news websites reported Bolt saying he got the baton back in the end.

"I asked, and I guess somebody talked to the guy, and said you need to give him that back. So I got it," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bolt, as saying to an American website.

"He was saying I couldn't keep it, because it's the rule. I got it back, but it was kind of weird, because he actually told me that if I didn't give it back, I would be disqualified. That was kind of weird," he added.

According to a report, Bolt asked his three teammates-Yohan Blake, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter-to sign the baton and pose for a picture he plans to frame and display alongside it. (ANI)