When Usain Bolt won three gold medals at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, he became the first man to win the ‘Triple-Triple’ and became the most successful athlete in the history of the event that started in 1983.

Bolt, 29, won the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relays for the third time at the World Championships, taking his gold medal tally to 11 gold.

Bolt, who is the first man to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records since fully automatic time measurements became mandatory in 1977, won the 100m in 10.79 seconds, the 200m in 19.55 seconds and anchored Jamaica to victory in 4x100m in 37.36, just outside the championship record of 37.04 seconds.

The incomparable success of Bolt came despite losing significant training and competition time to injury and his victory, in the 100m over the twice banned Justin Gatlin, was seen as him saving the dope-riddled sport.

Following Bolt’s 100m victory, British comedian David Schneider tweeted: “Next for Usain Bolt: Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France”. That was how many persons viewed his triumph as saving the sport.

But Bolt on a number of occasions stated that he alone cannot save athletics; however, he did save his best for the World Championships.

Last year, the world’s fastest man ever had some difficulties with injuries and came to the World Championships with a lot of doubts as to his readiness. But once again, he produced on the biggest stage at the right time.

He produced perhaps his greatest performance of all time at the same Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, where Bolt announced himself to the world in 2008 with three Olympic gold medals and three world records.

Gatlin came to the World Championships final on the back of a 28-game unbeaten run, but Bolt ran the race of his life. It wasn’t about proper technique or execution, but more about guts and determination on the world’s biggest stage. It was the closest victory for Bolt, done in one-hundredth of a second over his closest rival.

Bolt’s 9.79 seconds was more than two-tenths off his world record, but arguably his most important win. In the 200m, Bolt cruised to a magnificent 19.55 seconds and once again showed that he was getting better with every race as he separated himself from Gatlin for an easy win.

The triple gold was completed as he teamed with Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell, and Nickel Ashmeade to destroy the field winning in 37.36 seconds.

Bolt, who has 13 World Championships medals, inclusive of 11 gold and two silver, is on course to win his sixth RJR National Sportsman of the Year Award following successes in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.