Featured Image Credit: Photo by BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Athletics, Tennis, Usain Bolt, Wimbledon
Godwin Mathew
Topics: Athletics, Tennis, Usain Bolt, Wimbledon
Usain Bolt has won many recognitions for his brilliance in the world of athletics but he once missed an award because of an unbelievable performance at Wimbledon.
The Jamaican is one of the best track and field athletes of all-time, with multiple world records to his name.
He has eight Olympic gold medals and more recently revealed his victory at the 2008 Beijing Games came after an opponent tried to get into his head on the track.
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And while Bolt's records have been untouched for the eight years since he officially retired, whispers are gathering pace around Australian sprinter Gout Gout who has shown early signs that he could be the one to break them.
Until then, Bolt will continue to set the pace and there's no doubt he will always be remembered as one of the greatest to ever grace the track. But it was while in his prime, when Bolt was swooping awards and recognitions, that he missed out on a prestigious 2010 ESPY award because of an unrepeatable event in the tennis over at Wimbledon.
Wimbledon has witnessed history multiple times but John Isner and Nicolas Mahut's sensational game at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships has to be up there among the greatest.
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The first round match between the two lasted for 11 hours and five minutes with Isner eventually taking the win after three days of solid tennis action.
Although Isner eventually lost in the next round, he became part of history as the match against Mahut was the longest ever in professional tennis.
The ESPY Awards are a prestigious award event held every year honouring some of sports greatest moments and athletes from across the world.
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ESPY decided to give the Best Record Breaking Performance to Isner and Mahut's Wimbledon Performance, despite the fact that Bolt has two World Records to his name.
Roger Federer was the other athlete competing in the tournament, while the Conneticut Huskies - which recorded the longest winning streak in women's NCAA history - were also in the nominations for the award.
However, Isner and Mahut won the awards over the others as their performance at the Wimbledon was truly iconic with the final set lasting more than eight hours.
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Isner collected the award at the event and also congratulated his opponent for putting up a great performance.
While missing out on the 2010 award was a disappointment, Bolt only a year earlier had collected the ESPY Award for the Best International Athlete.
He went on to win the same award two times alongside the several other recognitions he received in his time as an athlete.