Jamaica’s Usain Bolt sprinted to his third 100-meter title at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing. The Jamaican, who has struggled with injury all season, surged home in 9.79 seconds edging Gatlin, the fastest man in the world this year, into silver medal position just one hundredth of a second back. Bronze was shared between youngsters Andre De Grasse and Trayvon Bromell who finished with an identical time of 9.92 seconds.
Although Bolt’s winning 9.79 was a season’s best, it remained down on the 9.77 clocked by Gatlin in the semifinals. The pair were neck and neck after 80m but Gatlin seemed to loose his balance as he approached the finish line leaving Bolt to savor yet another big-stage victory.
Americans Mike Rodgers and Tyson Gay finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Su of China finished ninth in 10.06 seconds.
- Usain Bolt was born in Jamaica on August 21, 1986.
- Bolt received the International Association of Athletics Foundation’s Rising Star Award that year and soon was given the apt nickname “Lightning Bolt.”
- Usain Bolt became famous as the world’s fastest man in 2008, the year he ran the 100 meters in a spectacular 9.69 seconds at the Beijing Olympic Games.
- Born in Jamaica, Usain Bolt was a speedster from the start: he was only 15 when he won a gold medal in the 200 meters at the 2002 World Junior Championships.
- At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, held in London, Bolt won his fourth Olympic gold medal in the men’s 100-meter race, beating rival Yohan Blake.
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