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Bolt hails Bale's Spanish Cup final stunner

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale celebrates after defeating Barcelona in their King's Cup final soccer match at Mestalla stadium in Valencia April 16, 2014. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

MADRID (Reuters) - Olympic champion Usain Bolt has hailed Gareth Bale's brilliant winner for Real Madrid in Wednesday's King's Cup final against Barcelona, saying it was the kind of goal any sprinter would be proud of. Wales winger Bale picked up the ball wide on the left on the halfway line five minutes from time and galloped away from Barca centre back Marc Bartra before slipping the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto to secure a 2-1 victory. "It was a great goal," the Jamaican was quoted as saying in Spanish sports daily Marca on Friday. "He showed the fantastic speed he has to leave the defender behind and then incredible calm to put the ball between the keeper's legs," added the keen Manchester United supporter who retained the 100 and 200 metre titles at the London Games in 2012. "It's the kind of goal any sprinter in the world would want to score one day." (Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Patrick Johnston)