Usain Bolt stormed to a successful defence of his Olympic 100m crown in the second-fastest time ever recorded Sunday as the Jamaican superstar confirmed his status as the greatest sprinter of all time. Bolt made a hesitant start but left the field for dead from 60 metres to win by two metres (yards) in 9.63sec, slower only than his world record of 9.58sec set in 2009.
Jamaican compatriot and training partner Yohan Blake, long tipped as Bolt’s successor as the fastest man in the world, claimed silver after equalling his personal best of 9.75sec. American 2004 Olympic gold medallist Justin Gatlin completed his remarkable comeback from a four-year doping ban by taking the bronze medal in a personal best of 9.79sec. The victory crushed pre-Olympics concerns that Bolt was suffering a crisis of form and fitness after his defeat to Blake in the Jamaican trials and injury concerns. “I tell you people, when it comes to the championships it’s about business for me — and I brought it,” said Bolt, who kissed the track after his win and performed his trademark bow-and-arrow celebration.
With Bolt, Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Blake topping the all-time 100m list, the final featured the four fastest men in history. “Usain has been to this level and he knows what it takes, he’s a world beater and he’s fastest man in the world,” said Blake. The 2007 double world champion Tyson Gay came in fourth, one hundredth of a second off his teammate Gatlin in 9.80sec, with a third American, Ryan Bailey, fifth in 9.88.
