Usain Bolt wins men's 100m world title in world record time of 9.58 seconds

Nearly 9000 rugby players in Jamaica - wonder if there's any good sprinters in that lot?

Jamaican Usain Bolt added the world crown to his Olympic title as he scorched to victory in a world record 9.58 seconds in the men's 100m final at the World Athletics Championships.

Billed as the first of three potential duels between Bolt and American reigning world champion Tyson Gay, the 22-year-old show-boating Jamaican crushed the field.

Gay claimed silver in 9.71 seconds, a good couple of metres off Bolt, with former world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica clocking 9.84 seconds for bronze.

"I said anything could happen and it did," said Bolt.

"It was a big target but I got 9.58sec and I'm really happy with myself.

"Now I plan to do even better in the future."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23218,00.html

This man is truly awesome.

Tyson Gay's time of 9.71 is mighty, mighty impressive. Or it would have been if he hadn't been totally smashed by Bolt.

I remember when 9.79 was considered an amazing time for the 100, so Powell was obviously pedestrian in coming 3rd in 9.84.

Bolt'll get 9.50 shortly.

He's the most awesome sprinter I've ever seen for sure.

Just as impressive was Kenenenisa Bakele in the 10,000m. He's probably going to go down as the greatest distance runner of all time. Two time Olympic Gold @ 10k, world record holder at 5 & 10k plus a long list of X-Country titles. His 10k win in this event was as devastating as ever. Sat on the pace maker's shoulder and sprinted at the bell to put 60-70 meters on the field over the final 400. Amazing stuff.

...I don't believe in pacemakers. If the bloke is good enough he'll break the record anyway.

Having said that, he's obviously damn impressive. He has very big shoes to fill to be the greatest of all time.

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Originally Posted by Ecky

...I don't believe in pacemakers.

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Pacemakers are a fact of life. The Ethiopians, Kenyans etc all do it to suit. They almost always run as a team. In this case it was the Eritreans leading out, trying to break him.

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If the bloke is good enough he'll break the record anyway.

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He has - both the 5 & 10K records. He's held them since 2004, 2005 respectively, won the past 4 world titles for 10k and has 11 cross country world titles.

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He has very big shoes to fill to be the greatest of all time.

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I suppose nobody will compare to Haile Gebrsilassie as far as the variety of distances he won at and Abebe Bikela is usually cited as the best Marathon runner ever. I'll say that he's the greatest 5-10,000m track runner of all time - and he's going to keep going. Maybe he can do a Gebrasilasee and add an Olympic Marathon. There'll be no doubt about it if he does. :)

Yeah, nah, I meant those pacemakers who don't finish the race. Normally seen in the 1500 and mile. You know the ones I mean.

I didn't see the 10,000, or any of the distance running, but if the "pacemakers" ran the whole distance then they are ok.

While I'm in awe of Bolt, there are suspicions against other Jamaican sprinters: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8194466.stm)

These guys seem to be on a drug which *may* be performance enhancing (why are they taking it if it's not) but isn't on the WADA list. Although, amusingly, the Jamaican anti-doping authority seems to be dismissing the findings of it's own panel.

I hope Bolt is clean, but with the way he burst onto the scene I reserve judgement. I'm old enough to remember Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and Linford Christie.

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Originally Posted by Sheikh

While I'm in awe of Bolt, there are suspicions against other Jamaican sprinters: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8194466.stm)


I hope Bolt is clean, but with the way he burst onto the scene I reserve judgement. I'm old enough to remember Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and Linford Christie.

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And all the rest of em. I'm a cynical bas**** and I'll be able to say I told ya so, if and when Mr Bolt becomes part of that stable.

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Originally Posted by Sheikh

I hope Bolt is clean, but with the way he burst onto the scene I reserve judgement. I'm old enough to remember Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and Linford Christie.

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Carl Lewis took drugs? That's your memory? Hmmmmmmm

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Originally Posted by welshrugbyfan

And all the rest of em. I'm a cynical bas**** and I'll be able to say I told ya so, if and when Mr Bolt becomes part of that stable.

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They're all on something aren't they??

Unless something comes out proving that Usain Bolt is actually taking illicit drugs you have to marvel at the bloke, he is quick. I love the showboating, if you can walk the walk then you should be able to talk the talk

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Originally Posted by Ecky

Carl Lewis took drugs? That's your memory? Hmmmmmmm

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Marion Jones a more recent case :D

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Originally Posted by Ecky

Carl Lewis took drugs? That's your memory? Hmmmmmmm

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Loads of reports that the US athletics covered up Carl Lewis's positive tests. There's reports of wide-scale cover-up in American athletics in the 90's. They don't seem to be winning quite so many gold medals these days, do they?

There's also reasonably reliable reports that Linford Christie, who won the Barcelona 100m, also failed a test there, but the Olympics didn't want the 100m winner for two Olympics in a row failing drugs tests, so that was buried.

They all certainly used to be on drugs. Testing's improved, masking agents have improved.
Ironically, cycling's the sport making the best head-way into stopping drugs with their "biological passport" which compares successive test results for anolomalies, and that's stioll taking a beating for not going far enough.