The 'rare' three-peat... at the World Championships

If winning the gold is considered the pinnacle in sport, performing the three-peat is the ultimate achievement.

It not only stamps an athlete's dominance of his/her event, but also sets the benchmark for the aspiring ones.

The 14th World Championships in Moscow also witnessed a few athletes doing a three-peat.

Check them out.

Usain Bolt has dominated the 100-200 metres over the last five years.

In Moscow, the 26-year-old completed a treble triumph in the 200 metres, by finishing with a season best effort (19.66 secs).

The Jamaican repeated the feat in the 4x100 metres relay as well. 

In completing a treble, Bolt joined the American trio of Allyson Felix, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson with eight World titles.

Had it not been for that false start, and resultant disqualification, in the 100 metres heat at the Daegu worlds two years back, Bolt would undoubtedly have achieved a three-peat in the 100 metres as well.

He underlines the Kenyan dominance in the discipline.

By virtue of his third straight World Championships gold in the 3000 metres steeplechase, Ezekiel Kemboi became one of only three men - besides Reuben Kosgei and Brimin Kipruto - to have won both Olympic and World golds in the event.

A perfect follow-up to his triumphs in Berlin and Daegu.

Estonian Gerd Kanter dominated for some time.

Pole Piotr Malachowski was a challenger for quite some time now.

But when it comes to dominating in the men's discus, it is about one man - Robert Harting.

The German recovered from injury just in time to defend his World title in Moscow. A throw of 69.11 metres, on what his fourth attempt, earned him the same.

As a result, the 28-year-old completed the three-peat, to go with his gold medal-winning feat at the London Olympics.

Harting is now eyeing a career in movies.

Let's hope he makes it big there as well!

Valerie Adams is arguably the best athlete to have represented New Zealand.

From winning the shot put title for the first time in the World Championships at Osaka in 2007 to winning it for the fourth straight time in Moscow, the 28-year-old has rarely floundered in her discipline.

Besides, her four gold medals at the worlds, Adams has two Olympics titles and a host of other medals to stamp her credentials as one of the all time greats.

At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Brittney Reese upset defending long jump champion Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia, with a leap of 7.10 metres.

Two years later, she cleared only 6.82 metres, but the effort was enough to help her retain the title.

In Moscow, the American got a tad lucky, having only reached the final as the last qualifier.

However, a jump of 7.01 metres helped here complete a well-deserved hat-trick.