Olympics 2012: Usain Bolt Competing with History

The fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, has a chance to become the most decorated sprinter in history.

With only the 200-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay remaining, Bolt has the potential to do the unfathomable: win back-to-back gold's in the three sprint events.

With one gold already to his name from these 2012 Games, Bolt will look to make it two on Thursday in the 200-meter final.

Bolt joined Carl Lewis on Sunday as the only men to repeat gold medals in the 100-meter dash. As for the 200-meters, no man has ever won back-to-back Olympic titles.

Lewis won gold and silver in 1984 and 1988, as did Shawn Crawford in 2004 and 2008. Bolt will look to change that, and looks in imperious form to do so—easing up in the final 50 meters to win his semifinal in 20.18.

Moving to the 4x100 relay, numerous men have been members of two winning teams—such as Lewis who was a member of the 1984 and 1992 United States gold medal teams. During the same time period, Vladimir Muravyov of Soviet Russia won gold in 1980 and 1988.

In regards to back-to-back gold's in the 4x100 relay though, you must go back all the way to Frank Wykoff, who was a member of the three gold medal United States teams from 1928-1936.

To summarize, if Bolt wins the next two golds, he would be the second man to win back-to-back in the 100-meter dash, first to win back-to-back in the 200-meter dash and first since Wykoff in 1936 to be a member of back-to-back 4x100-meter relay teams.

Historically, if Bolt finishes the week with three gold medals around his neck, he would be the greatest sprinter of all time.