And then there were eight. Usain Bolt may have no idea what methylhexaneamine is or does (it was originally marketed as a nasal decongestant, but has latterly found use for its performance-enhancing qualities) but he is paying the consequences for his compatriot Nesta Carter's use of the stuff.
As a result, the triple-triple is no more.
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Usain Bolt stripped of Olympic medal
The sprinter will have to return one of his nine gold medals after the International Olympic Committee announced that one of Bolt's teammates in the mens' 4x100 meter relay at the 2008 Beijing Games tested positive for a controlled substance.
How painful that must be for Bolt. The triple-triple was what he craved when he set off for what proved to be his final Olympics last summer in Rio. That was his goal, his target, his justification. The clean sweep, the unblemished record, the fact no one else had a look-in when he was running: the three-times threesome was to mark his sporting legacy in the most comprehensive way possible. And it was only when he achieved it that you sensed he was at peace with his ambition.
Sure, he has accepted the result of Carter's retest with a shrug of the shoulders and said he will willingly return his gold medal so that it might be handed over to the Trinidad team who finished far behind him in the Bird's Nest. But you would not have to journey far into his mind to see it must hurt, not least because it is way beyond his control. A man who has stood out against doping, preferring to rely on his own superhuman characteristics, has been undermined by the short cuts of others.
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And there is no question his record has been reduced. The verbal rhythm of his inimitable feat has been disturbed. He is no longer the triple-triple champion. Now he has a double triple and a pair. It may still be the most substantial medal collection ever completed in sprinting. But, no, it does not sound the same.
Yet, while the sing-song nature of his achievement is no more, ultimately Bolt need not worry about his own reputation. He continues to be the world's favourite, the people's champion. No longer the holder of nine Olympic titles, maybe, but he is still unsurpassed. His individual record is untainted. His personal standing remains unmatched. This is still the man everyone wants to see, the sprinter whose farewell at the World Championships this summer has helped sell out the London Stadium. His teammate's shortcomings have not remotely diminished him in the eyes of his admirers.
After all, eight is not bad.
The Telegraph, London