Great is sometimes an overused word in sport. But for Usain Bolt it is an understatement.

From a man, who has pulled off the unthinkable, this World Championships in Beijing is perhaps his greatest triumph of all.

Coming into these World Championships, the best we could hope for was a defeat that showed promise for future redemption. It seemed that we might get the old showman but not the old magic. 

SIGN UP NOW

Want to become a GMS writer? Sign up now and submit a 250 word test article: http://gms.to/haveyoursay4

Now the dust has settled from the World Championships in Beijing, we can truly appreciate the greatness of a man who just keeps on giving.

It all began, months ago when Bolt was having serious injury problems and some even doubted that he would compete at these games, after he announced he would, many praised him for standing up and fronting up the 'big elephant' in the room Justin Gatlin.

The World 100m final, a simple race, the winner, walks away with the title 'the fastest man on the planet'. 

Bolt had raced the 100m on just two days this season. But what could he possibly do up against the relentless consistency of Gatlin? 

Even on the blocks Bolt seemed beset by self-doubt. A sweat on his brow and a flicker to his eyes.

This seemed the moment for the old narrative to fall apart. Instead it was Gatlin - relentless Gatlin, predictably brilliant Gatlin - who cracked and fell. 

Bolt found a way: belief when others wondered, speed when we feared it gone, a strength in mind that Gatlin could not match.

The end margin? A single one-hundredth of a second. A fraction between them, a chasm in charisma and class.

This was never good vs evil, as some tried to bill it in advance. Gatlin is a dope cheat, not a serial killer. Bolt said before Sunday that he couldn't save the sport on his own. He hasn't. There were three other one-time dopers in this final.

But on a night that could have ended with the sport no longer teetering on the abyss but plummeting over it, Bolt's victory has given hope where it hadn't been. 

The Jamaican once again, proved us all to be fools.

However the next bout lies in Rio 2016 ...