Almost as predictable as night following day, the charismatic Usain Bolt won his third 100 metre Gold on the biggest stage of all, the Rio Olympics. The timing 9.81 seconds.
At Beijing 2008, he became a star, at London 2012 he became a legend, 2016 Rio Usain Bolt become immortal. The timing was nothing special – 9.81 seconds – but at this stage of his career he knows scavenging for titles is more realistic than world record times.
Moments before the race
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Just a few moments had passed, since that breathtaking world record by the South African Wayde van Niekerk in the men’s 400 but the crowd was clearly waiting for the biggest show. As the players emerged from the tunnel, one at a time, the stadium seemed to be rocked by a minor earthquake when the great one’s name was announced.
Justin Gatlin received a mixture of boos and applause due to his drug offences earlier in his career. Gatlin was not just racing Bolt, but also a stigma that he has lived with since 2004.
The race
As is customary, Bolt was slow of the blocks, quite unlike the smoother start of Gatlin, who was clearly the leader at the halfway stage by more than a metre.
Bolt, arrived at this stage with his long strides, moved ahead and the ambitions of the seven other athletes in the race were ruthlessly slit. As he approached the finish line, he cast his eyes on the video scoreboard high above, where even he could watch history unfold. Easing off the gas, he tapped his chest with his right hand and raised his index finger into the air. Game over!
Road to Rio..was not quite smooth
Four years ago, coming into London there were some doubts on Bolt’s fitness and his mental makeup. He had false started at the 2011 Daegu World Championships, in the 100-metre finals and the questions were being asked.
Coming into Rio, there was the customary promise made to the world that London and Beijing would be repeated. The difference, this time, was a more direct challenge to the American sprinters. A bit unlike him to confront his opponents so directly, at least off the track.
Was he feeling the pressure or was he playing mind games with his great American rival Justin Gatlin?
Probably Bolt’s biggest challenge came a few weeks ago, when he pulled out of the Jamaican trials, with a grade one hamstring tear.
Supposedly, a Trans-Atlantic trip to the controversial German doctor Hans-Wilheim Müller-Wohlfahrt, whose potions include injections of calves’ blood and honey, had put him right. But two weeks of training surely can’t have helped him hit the very highest notes.
Significantly, this seventh Gold has lifted him over the versatile US great Carl Lewis, who won 100m gold in Los Angeles and Seoul. On this evidence, only a brave man would back against him making that nine after the 200m and 4x100m relay later this week.
Gatlin, the eternal bridesmaid
No article on Usain Bolt can be complete without reference to his great American rival Justin Gatlin, who at 34 years of age, continues to be ahead of everyone except Bolt. Lest we forget Gatlin has more than played his part in this eternal, if one-sided rivalry.
His losses to Bolt have been, by 0.14 seconds at the 2012 Olympics, 0.08 seconds at the 2013 world championships, and at least year’s world championships, he finished just 0.01 seconds behind.
At 34, he has somehow been posting some of the best times of his life, aging and progressing, unlike just about every other elite sprinter who had come before him. His place in sprinting history is confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Bolt show will move on to the 200 meters this week, and then he will try to help the Jamaicans win their third straight 4x100 relay.
Care to bet against him..only the brave or the foolish would.
