MOSCOW (AFP) - Jamaican track star Usain Bolt on Saturday received a framed AFP photograph of the sprinter clinching world 100m gold as a lightning bolt illuminated the stormy skies above.

AFP photographer Olivier Morin, who snapped the photo as Bolt reclaimed his 100m title at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow last weekend, handed over the image after Bolt had secured his third successive world 200m title.

Bolt shook hands with Morin and posed for photos with the framed image on the dais before the official press conference for the podium finishers in the 200m, victory in which gave the Jamaican seven world gold medals.

"It's a wonderful birthday present," said Morin, who will be 48 on Augu 31.

"It's the first time I've found myself close to the lightning Bolt, it's impressive but not dangerous.

"In terms of photography, I can confirm that he's still trickier to catch than real lightning!" Photographers, sports fans and commentators were left slack-jawed after seeing the image, which was massively shared on social media sites, and on Twitter was tweeted and retweeted thousands of times.

Morin, who's based in AFP's Milan bureau, shrugged off his role in capturing the image, saying he can only claim "one per cent" credit.

But Bolt told the BBC, one of several media outlets in Moscow to have interviewed Morin, that it was "an amazing moment".

"It's one of those pictures that you just want to remember." Morin, an AFP veteran of 23 years, said he'd set up five remote-controlled cameras along the edge of the track, all of them focused on Bolt's lane. He had envisioned getting a photo of the winner with his hands in the air.

Morin's blog posting of how he took the shot is at: u.afp.com/bolt