Bolt storms to victory in 100M finals, inches closer to rare triple-triple

Usain Bolt confirmed his status as the greatest sprinter of all-time with a historic gold medal in the 100M at the Olympic Games on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Jamaican timed 9.81 seconds in the final to become the first man to win three gold medals in the marquee event of track and field with a trademark late surge to the finish.

Bolt had arrived on the world stage with victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and repeated the feat in London four years later. Sunday’s medal was his seventh gold in the Olympic Games.

Bolt had to recover from a typically slow start to defeat his arch rival Justin Gatlin of the United States. Gatlin, attempting to take back the sprint crown that he last won in 2004, led the field at the half-way stage, but had no answer to the speed of the Jamaican in the business end of the contest. Gatlin clocked 9.89 seconds for silver.

“Someone said I can be immortal, two more gold medals, and I am immortal,” declared Bolt, who will also attempt to win the 200 and 4x100M relays, just as he did in the two previous Games.

On a night when South African Wayde van Niekerk smashed the 400M world record, the near-capacity crowd at the Olympic Stadium had its eyes only on Bolt.

The Jamaican won the semifinals earlier in the evening in a convincing manner, clocking 9.86 seconds, setting the stage for another gold medal charge.

“I came to this Olympics to win three gold medals. I came to prove myself as one of the greats and that is my focus. Now we have the 200M, and if I get a good rest after the semifinals, I will try my hardest to break the world record,” declared the Jamaican. After Sunday night’s performance, it would be hard to bet against him.