LONDON -- Forget all the world records for a moment. Forget, if you can, all the Olympic golds, the excitement he brought to the sport, the sheer presence that for 12 years injected much-needed excitement into track and field. When you break down Usain Bolt's dominance, examine the details of what he did and how he did it, it becomes clear why we might never see an athlete like him again.

Bolt was literally the biggest thing sprinting has ever seen

At 6-foot-5 and 208 pounds, Bolt is by far the largest man to ever hold the 100-meter world record. The enormous length of Bolt's strides allowed him to finish races in fewer steps, and his power helped him maintain the stride turnover rate of smaller men.

The Jamaican legend's closest competitor in terms of longevity, dominance and Olympic medals is Carl Lewis, who was 3 inches and more than 30 pounds smaller. No record-holder comes within 2 inches of Bolt's height; most are shorter by about half a foot. Calvin Smith, who set the record in 1983, was more than 50 pounds lighter. All that mass also provided a mental edge.

"Standing at 6-5, that's intimidating," said Justin Gatlin.

Bolt vs. other 100-meter world-record holders

His margins of victory

Another sign of Bolt's dominance. Going back to 1983, when world championship meets were added to the Olympic slate, Bolt's average margin of victory in championship races is 32 percent larger than other winners. In other words, Bolt left 100-meter competitors further in his wake than anyone else.

Usain Bolt's 100-meter wins (in seconds)* Year Bolt 2nd place 2008 9.69 9.89 2009 9.58 9.71 2012 9.63 9.75 2013 9.77 9.85 2015 9.79 9.80 2016 9.81 9.89 AVG. MARGIN: .103 *At World Championships and Olympics

Bolt was never tainted by track's doping scandals

Of the seven men who have run 9.80 seconds or better in the 100, Bolt is the only one who has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Who Ran 9.80 Or Better Rank Time Runner Country Location Date 1 9.58 Usain Bolt JAM Berlin 16.08.2009 2 9.63 Usain Bolt JAM London 05.08.2012 3 9.69 Usain Bolt JAM Beijing 16.08.2008 3 9.69 Tyson Gay USA Shanghai 20.09.2009 3 9.69 Yohan Blake JAM Lausanne 23.08.2012 6 9.71 Tyson Gay USA Berlin 16.08.2009 7 9.72 Usain Bolt JAM New York City 31.05.2008 7 9.72 Asafa Powell JAM Lausanne 02.09.2008 9 9.74 Asafa Powell JAM Rieti 09.09.2007 9 9.74 Justin Gatlin USA Ad-Dawhah 15.05.2015 11 9.75 Yohan Blake JAM Kingston 29.06.2012 11 9.75 Yohan Blake JAM London 05.08.2012 11 9.75 Justin Gatlin USA Roma 04.06.2015 11 9.75 Justin Gatlin USA Lausanne 09.07.2015 15 9.76 Usain Bolt JAM Kingston 03.05.2008 15 9.76 Usain Bolt JAM Bruxelles 16.09.2011 15 9.76 Usain Bolt JAM Roma 31.05.2012 15 9.76 Yohan Blake JAM Zurich 30.08.2012 19 9.77 Asafa Powell JAM Athínai 14.06.2005 19 9.77 Asafa Powell JAM Gateshead 11.06.2006 19 9.77 Asafa Powell JAM Zurich 18.08.2006 19 9.77 Tyson Gay USA Eugene 28.06.2008 19 9.77 Usain Bolt JAM Bruxelles 05.09.2008 19 9.77 Asafa Powell JAM Rieti 07.09.2008 19 9.77 Tyson Gay USA Roma 10.07.2009 19 9.77 Usain Bolt JAM Moskva 11.08.2013 19 9.77 Justin Gatlin USA Bruxelles 05.09.2014 19 9.77 Justin Gatlin USA Beijing 23.08.2015 29 9.78 Asafa Powell JAM Rieti 09.09.2007 29 9.78 Tyson Gay USA London 13.08.2010 29 9.78 Nesta Carter JAM Rieti 29.08.2010 29 9.78 Asafa Powell JAM Lausanne 30.06.2011 29 9.78 Justin Gatlin USA Monaco 17.07.2015 34 9.79 Maurice Greene USA Athínai 16.06.1999 34 9.79 Usain Bolt JAM Saint-Denis 17.07.2009 34 9.79 Tyson Gay USA Bruxelles 27.08.2010 34 9.79 Tyson Gay USA Clermont 04.06.2011 34 9.79 Usain Bolt JAM Oslo 07.06.2012 34 9.79 Justin Gatlin USA London 05.08.2012 34 9.79 Usain Bolt JAM Beijing 23.08.2015 41 9.80 Maurice Greene USA Sevilla 22.08.1999 41 9.80 Steve Mullings JAM Eugene 04.06.2011 41 9.80 Justin Gatlin USA Eugene 24.06.2012 41 9.80 Usain Bolt JAM Bruxelles 06.09.2013 41 9.80 Justin Gatlin USA Lausanne 03.07.2014 41 9.80 Justin Gatlin USA Beijing 23.08.2015 41 9.80 Justin Gatlin USA Eugene 03.07.2016

The intangibles also matter

Bolt finally was beaten in his last 100-meter race at this past week's World Athletics Championships, but that does not erase his magnificence. His world record of 9.58 in the 100 is set in stone. No current athlete is within shouting distance of his 19.19 in the 200. He won three sprint golds in three straight Olympics, when no other athlete has done that twice. (One relay gold was later revoked, due to a teammate's positive drug test.)

But just as much as these astonishing numbers, Bolt's personality set him apart -- the energy, joy and excitement he delivered every time he stepped onto the track.

After finally defeating Bolt in London, Gatlin did not exult or strut. He literally bowed down to Bolt. "It was paying homage to someone who has changed the game, who has come along and took the sport to another level," Gatlin said. "Not just sprinting, but the sport, and helped sports in general be lifted to a different plateau."