JOIN USKING BOLT SHOWS WHO THE BOSS IS
Kneeling down at the trackside, Usain Bolt spent a quiet moment with himself shortly after reducing to another 100M final to a one-man show. Just what went through his mind was hard to say but for the fan up in the stands, one thought stood out among the many triggered by the thundering strides of this man – Usain Bolt does as Usain Bolt says.
Justin Gatlin can brag about his plans and dreams till the cows come home but when it comes to championship finals, only one man’s word counts. In the lead-up to the Games, Bolt had boldly predicted another victory for him in the 100M and also another triple crown, giving him a unique place in history.
On an almost still night at the Olympic Stadium, the rangy Jamaican took a major step towards that goal. Any race he wins these days is historic, and this was no different. After his Sunday surge, Bolt is the first man to win the men’s 100M three times, though the style and swagger wasn’t quite the same compared to his dazzling performances of the past.
His time – 9.81 seconds – was his season’s best. It also was the slowest of his winning performances across three Olympics and three World Championships but the important thing was he got the job done in less than ideal circumstances. With the gap between semifinal and final cut to just 85 minutes, a sizzling show was denied to the huge turnout.
“It was ridiculous. It was very hard to run fast because the turnaround time was really, really short. By the time you get to the warm-up area after the semis, it is time to get ready for the final. It is really stupid. That was why the race was slow,” said Bolt after inflicting another defeat on Gatlin, who must be wondering what he should do to upstage the Jamaican in big meets.
On this night, Gatlin got most of it right. In lane four, he was quick off the blocks. Bolt was slow as usual from lane six. The American led the race past the half-way point. Bolt was still searching for that extra gear. Then came the hard part – the finish.
To beat Bolt, it isn’t good enough to be level with the Jamaican with 30 metres still to run. Gatlin knew it but he could do nothing about it. Bolt simply took charge and made his statement in that dash to the finish, thumping his chest and telling the world who the boss was.
Gatlin, the season’s leader at 9.80 seconds, had to strain every sinew to win silver in 9.89, ahead of Canadian Andre de Grasse (9.91). Yohan Blake, the former world champion, was fourth in 9.93. At 34, Gatlin became the oldest medal winner in Olympic 100M but his doping past was in spotlight as he was booed by the crowd that had only one man in their vision and hearts.
Indeed, the Bolt show is incomplete without his involvement with the fans. He was received like a king as he went on a victory lap with a mascot in his hand. On the way, the heptathlon medalists found it apt to pose for a selfie with the champion.
The mood was so Boltish that even Wayde van Niekerk, who set a world record of 43.03 seconds in the 400 metres, was quickly pushed out of the limelight. The same was the case with Caterine Ibarguen, who finally tasted Olympic success in triple jump with a 15.17M leap, relegating defending champion Olga Rypakova to bronze position. They were not complaining, for this was Bolt’s night in Rio.
Colombia's Caterine Ibarguen leapt 15.17 metres to snatch a gold medal in the women's triple jump, fending off Venezuela's Yulimar Rojas to continue her dominance in the event.
Results: Men: 100M: Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 9.81 seconds, 1; Justin Gatlin (United States) 9.89, 2; Andre de Grasse (Canada) 9.91, 3.
400M: Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa) 43.03 (World Record. Old: 43.18, Michael Johnson, 1999), 1; Kirani James (Grenada) 43.76, 2; LaShawn Merritt (USA) 43.85, 3.
Women: Triple jump: Caterine Ibarguen (Colombia) 15.17 metres, 1; Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela) 14.98, 2; Olga Rypakova (Kazakhstan) 14.74, 3.