Here’s how dominant Usain Bolt was in winning the 100 meters at the World Track and Field Championships in Berlin? American Tyson Gay set a personal best (9.71) and a U.S. record and still finished a distant second to Bolt, the Jamaican superstar who ran 9.58 seconds, the fastest ever and the first run in less than 9.6 seconds.
It was an amazing performance by Bolt, who is so effortless in his running that it looks like he’s not trying hard. I also find it interesting that the 22-year-old runs with his shirt not tucked into to his tights. I would think wind resistance might be an issue, but with him it doesn’t seem to matter; everyone else in the field is choking on his exhaust. AP put his record into perspective:
Bolt’s 9.58 was 0.11 seconds faster than the mark he set last year at the Beijing Olympics – the biggest improvement in the 100-meter record since electronic timing began in 1968.
Video, if you missed it (audio in German, but greatness translates in any language):
on Aug 17th, 2009 at 2:56 AM
WOW!!!!!!!! LEAVES ME GASPING BREATHLESSLY IN ADMIRATION WITH GOOSE PIMPLES HAIR RAISING STUFF
BUT THE BOLT OF LIGHTNING EFFORTLESSLY AND SMOOTHLY COMPLETING HIS HISTORY MAKING FEAT
on Aug 17th, 2009 at 6:08 AM
Jim, ….Blows away?? .13 seconds difference? Come on now. BTW, Arkansas boy here, Gay’s old stomping ground
on Aug 17th, 2009 at 6:13 AM
Yeah, .13 seconds the 100m is certainly blowing away.
It wasn’t even close.
on Aug 17th, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Hey Vince:
In football terms it was the equivalent of a 34-10 win. Gay ran the third-fastest time ever and was still left in the dust.
on Aug 17th, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Its incredible bolt is this fast with another WR and was so under the radar until the olympics, with everyone talking about powell and gay. I cant wait to see if he can break 9.4, impossible.
on Aug 18th, 2009 at 12:59 AM
In track circles, Bolt wasn’t under the radar. He’d won world junior (19 and under) championships (well, at least one) as a teenager and he was doing it in senior level times. I’m pretty sure he holds the world junior record in the 200m and it’s under 20 seconds. We’re talking world class as far back as 2002.