media_artricles :: 2015

WORLD'S GREATEST

Bolt defies odds to win third 100 title

The greatest sportsman alive…or dead.

There were those who held that view of Usain Bolt, even before yesterday's IAAF World Championship men's 100 metres final. But following his 9.79 seconds golden run at the Bird's Nest Stadium here in Beijing, China, many more have undoubtedly joined the chorus.

Gold is nothing new to the Jamaican track legend. He went into the championship race with eight World Championship titles to his name, together with six at the Olympics for a grand total of 14. But number 15—his third World Champs 100m gold—was special.

Bolt, whose global dominance in the sprints started right here in the Bird's Nest Stadium at the 2008 Olympics, displayed the heart of a warrior in the 2015 World Championship century final. The defending champion battled all the way to the line to snatch the top spot, edging Justin Gatlin into second, the American producing a 9.80 run.

Bronze was shared by a pair of 20-year-olds, Canadian Andre De Grasse and American Trayvon Bromell. They could not be separated, both sprinters getting home in 9.92 seconds. Perhaps they are the future of sprinting. Bolt, however, proved to the world he's still very much the present.

Many felt it was Gatlin's time, and that Bolt would be unable to match strides with the drug-tainted American. It was a fair assessment for in addition to his world-leading 9.74 seconds run, Gatlin had four other sub-9.80 clockings this season, including a 9.77 semi-final win, and had not been beaten in an individual race since 2013.

Bolt, on the other hand, struggled for most of the season and looked less-than-convincing in topping his semi-final in 9.96 following a stumble early in the race.

There was a flaw, however, in the “Gatlin will win” rationale. He was running against the greatest championship sprinter of all time. Since his rise to superstardom at the Beijing Olympics, seven years ago, Bolt has not been beaten to the line in a World Championship or Olympic final.

“My aim,” Bolt declared, “is to be the number one until I retire. And therefore I am pushing myself and pushing myself. It is all about running the race and getting it done.”

Gatlin came close to halting the amazing Bolt streak, but the mere presence of “The Man” created panic.

“At the last five metres,” said Gatlin, “I stumbled a little bit and it cost my momentum. It was a great race and I felt honoured to be out here. Of course everybody wants to come out here and win. But I came out here, got nibbed at the line by 'Great Usain'. Hopefully, I have more great races to come.”

While the 9.79 run was a season's best for Bolt, it was pedestrian by his standards—more than two-tenths of a second slower than his 9.58 world record.

“You can call that race rusty,” said Bolt. “I could have run faster.”

But in a championship final, time is immaterial.

“This title means a lot to me. It has been a long season. Me coming back from injury.”

Triumph over adversity--a fitting climax indeed to yet another chapter in the incredible Usain Bolt

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