Bolt gets France top award
Published:Wednesday | December 17, 2008 | 3:07 PM
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was honoured today as French sports daily L’Equipe’s athlete of the year, beating out American swimmer Michael Phelps and Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal.
Bolt, who won gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres and 4 x 100 relay at the Beijing Olympics in August, all in world-record times, was selected as L’Equipe’s Champion of Champions for 2008.
Phelps, who made history by winning eight gold medals in the pool for the United States at Beijing, finished second. Nadal, who won the French Open and Wimbledon and took over the Number 1 ranking, was third.
Bolt succeeds former top-ranked Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, who won the honour over the past three years.
Other winners in the award’s 28-year history include Michael Schumacher, Carl Lewis and Tiger Woods.