PARIS, France (CMC)

Jamaican sprint marvel, Usain Bolt, added another significant honour to his log yesterday when the famous French sports daily L'Equipe named him their 2008 Athlete of the Year.

In securing the prized label for his tremendous triple-gold-medal- winning appearance at the Beijing Olympics in August, Bolt defeated American swimmer Michael Phelps and Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal.

The 22-year-old Bolt, who won gold medals in the 100 and 200-metre races, as well as the sprint relay with the Jamaican team, all in world-record times, was selected as L'Equipe's 'Champion of Champions' for 2008.

This latest honour adds to his growing list in recent weeks.

Bolt was named IAAF World Male Athlete of the Year, Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Athlete of the Year and Jamaica's Athlete of the Year. Only last weekend, Bolt copped the BBC Overseas Sports Personality award.

Phelps also made history in Beijing by winning eight gold medals, but finished runner-up to Bolt.

Nadal was third after winning the French Open and Wimbledon to take over the No.1 ranking in world tennis.

Considerable margin

Bolt picked up 832 points in the vote, to win by a considerable margin over Phelps (694) and Nadal (413).

Bolt succeeds Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, who won the honour the past three years.

Other winners in the award's 28-year history include German Formula-1 driver Michael Schumacher, Carl Lewis, the American sprinter, and the American golf star Tiger Woods.

"It's phenomenal to be with all them," said Bolt, who was the first man to win the prestigious Olympic 100/200 double in a single games since Lewis in 1984.

"I don't have the words for it. They are all among the best in history in the most diverse sports," Bolt told reporters.

Bolt captured the attention of Olympic fans in Beijing by setting a new 100-metre world record of 9.69 seconds, despite coasting over the last 10 metres as he celebrated with his arms wide open then hitting his chest in triumph.

A few days later, he smashed Michael Johnson's formidable 200-metre world record with a new mark of 19.30 seconds and then joined his Jamaican teammates - Asafa Powell, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter -to shatter the sprint relay world record in 37.10.