BOLT FROM THE BLUE
Jamaican storms to 100m glory in world record
SPEED KING - Usain Bolt finishes ahead of Richard Thompson
IT was not the first time that a Bolt of lightning has struck the Chinese capital this week — but nothing so devastating as the one which blitzed the Bird’s Nest stadium last night.
The storms which have ravaged Beijing repeatedly wreaked havoc with the competition timetable.
Usain Bolt obliterated the record books.
The Jamaican sprinter smashed the world 100metres record in an astonishing 9.69secs and the 2008 Olympic Games could barely catch its breath.
As for the rest of the field in the final, they could hardly catch sight of Bolt as he disappeared over the horizon.
But it was the effortless, contemptuous manner of his win that made it so utterly destructive.
Bolt flew from his blocks, a blur of thrashing limbs and rippling muscle.
Before the halfway stage, he knew the race was his.
A glance over his shoulder and he began easing down. His celebrations started at around 80m as he threw his arms wide and thumped his chest in self-acclaim.
Before crossing the finish he virtually stopped running and stepped over the line. Conservative estimates reckon that if he had run flat out over the full distance he would have clocked around 9.60 seconds.
Bolt said: “The track is very fast. I came out here just to win. I wasn’t worried about the world record.
“I didn't even realise I had the record until I did my victory lap. I’m just focusing on my 200m race now. When I ran the earlier round I felt the world record was possible, because it’s a new track.
“But I came out here just to win. I’m so happy for myself and my country.”
The Jamaican can hardly be considered a Bolt from the blue.
Now 21, he has been on the scene since he was 15 when he was world under-19 champion and his progress has been steadily impressive, mainly over 200m.
But he stunned track and field by setting a new 100m world record in New York in June. Then he began playing a cat and mouse game over whether he would compete in both sprints in Beijing.
He felt the effort of two events would prove two much but relented a couple of weeks ago and decided to double up.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Thompson (9.89secs) and American Walter Dix (9.91 secs) occupied the other positions on the podium. They will have felt embarrassed to pick up their medals.
Former world record holder Asafa Powell was fifth. Tyson Gay, who was considered another contender didn’t make it past the semi-final stage. He was the lucky one.
As for Bolt, he goes again in the 200m heats tomorrow when he aims to become the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to complete an Olympic sprint double
Who would bet against the lightning Bolt strking twice?
