Usain Bolt is officially a freak. He has backed up his complete demolition of the world’s best 100 metre sprinters in world record time, by doing it again in the 200 metre final.

It is scary to think what this man is capable of when he puts his mind to it. For the first time in these Games, Bolt ran hard all of the way to the finish line. He even added a completely unnecessary dip to the line – despite being five metres ahead of his nearest rivals who were beaten before they reached the straight.

His time of 19.30 seconds – into the wind – lowers the already electrifying time set by Michael Johnson in Atlanta and gives him the 100 and 200 metre world records simultaneously; a rare event last completed by fellow Jamaican Donald Quarrie.

Johnson’s record has been a motivating force for Bolt; indeed the two seem to have formed a mutual admiration society, but even Johnson didn’t expect the performance that Bolt delivered in the 200m final.

''I don't think he'll break it here. I will be shocked if he does. To run 19.3 he's going to have to run the curve a lot better and hold his speed to the line. But then I didn't think he was going to run 9.69,'' Johnson is reported to have said.

What is most impressive about Bolt is the ease with which he goes about his business. In the 200m semi-final he was watching himself race on the big screen at the stadium – while still running. In the 100m final, he played up to the crowd with 15 metres still to run.

Also impressive is the fact that Bolt maintains a sense of fun in his racing. He looks like he’s genuinely enjoying every moment of the experience and it is this sense of joy that has endeared him to the entire world. He is reported to have said: “That guy looks cool. That guy is fast,” when watching a replay of himself on the big screen.

He knows that he is blessed with a prodigious talent and, while he exudes confidence, he has tempered it with humility. There is not a hint of arrogance, something that other athletes (perhaps a certain basketball team) could well learn from.

His running style is sheer poetry; he effortlessly glides over the ground. His physique is starkly different to his competitors; his height and loose-limbed fluidity draw the eye. There is little resemblance to the muscle-bound powerhouses that are the traditional owners of the short sprints.

We will have the pleasure of seeing him run again in the 4x100m relay, which promises to be an absolute cracker of a race and, although he can’t win eight gold medals, he has at least moved Michael Phelps off the front page.

And that’s yet another reason to like him.