Usain Bolt Breaks Olympic Record In Men’s 100
It has been four years since he solidified his hold on the title of World’s Fastest Man, and still no one is any closer to catching Jamaica’s Usain Bolt.
The superstar runner didn’t get off to the best of starts Sunday at the London Olympic games but that didn’t stop him from rolling to an easy defense of his gold medal in the Men’s 1oo Meter run. Usain Bolt finished the race in a time of 9.63 seconds, breaking an Olympic record in the process.
The New York Times reports that Yohan Blake, a fellow Jamaican who trains with Bolt, won the silver medal in 9.75 seconds. Justin Gatlin of the United States, a 2004 Olympic champion whose career was derailed by steroid use, completed his unlikely comeback story with a bronze-medal winning 9.79.
With the victory, Bolt is the first person to ever outright win the gold medal in the 100 meter dash in back-to-back Olympiads. American Carl Lewis was awarded a gold for two straight games in the event, but he actually took silver in in 1988 in Seoul before receiving gold when the title was stripped from Canadian Ben Johnson for steroid use.
Fox News reports that Bolt took a victory half lap around the track before stopping and kissing it, then giving his “to the world” pose to the crowd and drawing applause.
Later on this week Bolt will try to become the first runner repeat as champion in both the 100 and 200 meter runs.
Though losses to Blake at the Jamaican trials had made Usain Bolt appear vulnerable, the 25-year old runner showed Sunday that he’s still as good as good.
(Photo by New York Times)
