Usain Bolt of Jamaica won the Olympic 100 metres on Saturday, shattering the world record in the process with a time of 9.69 seconds.
Bolt thumped his chest in celebration as he crossed the line, after leaving Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago (silver) and American Walter Dix (bronze) trailing at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.
Asafa Powell finished out of the medals, while Tyson Gay was eliminated in the semi-finals.
Bolt had looked capable of running an extremely fast time as he ambled through the heats and so it proved in Beijing on Saturday as he pulled off a win that will live long in the memory.
But what do you think of his achievement? Let us know in the comments. We’ll have more on this later, but for now, here’s another photo:
Reuters photos: Gary Hershorn (top), Jerry Lampen (bottom)
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This is just outstanding! Well done Usain!
Next time, run through the tape and celebrate after (sure you’ve got gold but just make the Olympic record harder to beat!)
Asafa, my heart goes out to you. Keep strong my friend. Make up for it in the 4×100m relay.
- Posted by David AndersonAnd already some of the papers are talking about drug added times, why can they let the poor lad celebrate his gold without knocking him down. Well done Usain Bolt but i bet you can go faster .
- Posted by FloAmazing race it brought me great joy and I am Australian, the first thing that comes to mind for most people when they hear these times is “Drug Cheat”, the second thing that comes to mind is he is too tall to run fast, the third thing that comes to mind is he is the Greatest Runner ever.
Usain is clearly the most exciting athlete to grace the Olympics - ever.
Even Michael Johnson seems in awe of him.
I told everyone to watch this race and I’m glad I saw it and the sad news for all other athletes is he also runs the 200 Metres and the 400 Metres (when he wants to).
Usain Bolt is a freak of nature, he is astounding.
- Posted by nigel leitchThunder and lightening surely visited the bird nest today.Now it came in the form of a Guy called Usain. All hail the sprint star.Incredible.May Jamaican President Honour this Guy who have indeed written the country’s name in Gold.No more tales of Bob marley but Bolt of Lightening.May he live forever.
+2348037389096… call to appreciate
- Posted by uzoh emmanuelhe’s gonna take it easy. he is gonna break the record many times and get loads money for it. look at pole vaulter bubka. whenever he wanted some dosh, he broke. total 35 times or somehting like that. that’s 35 paychecks and not just one.
- Posted by bobBolt knows he can go faster. He is in total control over how fast he goes and has changed the way we look at the frame of a competitive 100 meter runner (even though it makes sense doesnt it?). He is going to keep on smashing it I reckon even though he knows he can go into .5’s but he is still young and is going to make the most of this opportunity of being by far the fastest man on Earth!
- Posted by MarioAbsolutely incredible. I am in the US and would you believe it, we were shut out from watching this live on the NBC! Ugh!!!
- Posted by Brian ;LittleWhy didn’t he just run through? Cement your time in history forever with an unbreakable world/Olympic record. He might be young and invincible now, but he won’t be that way forever. Just look at Asafa Powell. For so long he’d been touted as the next big thing but again and again he crumbles.
No matter how big you think your window of opportunity is, you better go through it when you got the engine to do it. Time and injuries creep up.
- Posted by Olympic GloryOh Dem golden slippes, gonna wear them on my wedding day!! I love his exuberance and easy confidence.
- Posted by amanuensaBolt is still 4 seconds off to being the fastest man on record. Michael Johnson still holds that record though
- Posted by isaac kiplagatits a pity though that Gay was not there.it would have been a “Tiger”(Bolt),”Lion”(Powell),”Anaconda”( Gay) fight…it would have been interesting….i guess someone will run 5.00 soon
- Posted by isaac kiplagatGo Usain Bolt!!! Well done!!!!
- Posted by NicsWatch out 2012 - the others have a lot of catching up to do!!! wow! wow! wow!
Simply great, all the best in the 200m. Jamaica is the one..
- Posted by clementThis is mind-boggling! this guy should have ran 8.00 if he had not relaxed with 15 mins to go…superhuman
- Posted by isaac kiplagatI agree. If he ran at full pace he really would be frightening.
- Posted by Kevin FylanHe could have easily be at 9.60 or less….had he ran his full pace…what a race..amazing
- Posted by Morisgo Jamaica go we love you Usain
- Posted by LasumeHe still looked like he could run faster. Go Jamaica! It’s just a pity they didn’t get a one-two.
- Posted by jfwhat a race. the guy’s a rocket. 9.50secs is next. easy…., man
- Posted by bobIncredible win. Incredible time. Epic.
- Posted by Kevin Fylan