BEIJING - Jamaica's Usain Bolt scorched to Olympic 100-meter
dash gold on Saturday, opening his arms wide in celebration 20m from the line
before clocking a world record 9.69 seconds.
The 21-year-old claimed his country's first Olympic title in
the blue riband event and capped an astonishing rise to the top of his sport.
His previous world record was 9.72 seconds.
Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago took the silver in
9.89 and American Walter Dix the bronze in 9.91.
Bolt's time would have been even better if he had not looked
around and pumped his arms with victory assured 20m from the line.
"I wasn't bragging," said Bolt after being mobbed by
Jamaicans in the stands. "When I saw I wasn't covered, I was just happy. I was
always the fastest. I told you all I was going to be No. 1 and I did just that.
"I wasn't really worried about racing fast. My only aim was
to be a champion."
It was the first time the men's 100-m world record had been
broken in the Olympic final since Canadian Donovan Bailey in 1996.
Jamaican Asafa Powell, whose world mark Bolt bettered in May,
once again failed to deliver on the big stage and finished fifth.
"I messed up big time," he said. "My legs died on me. He was
definitely untouchable tonight. Usain is spectacular. I'm very happy for him."
World champion Tyson Gay of the US did not even make the
final, finishing fifth in his semi to end hopes of a showdown between the three
fastest men of all time.
The atmosphere was still crackling as the six Caribbean and
two American athletes settled into the blocks.
At 6-foot-5 Bolt was never going to be the quickest of
starters but he got away well enough and, head down, found his huge loping
stride to hit the front after about 25m.
"I got a great start," he said. "I was getting good starts
all the way to the final. I was getting better and better, it was crazy,
phenomenal."
Pulling clear at 70m, he glanced across to his right to look
for Powell and, when he saw nothing but empty track, started celebrating.
Bolt, a 200-m specialist who had run only one professional race in the
shorter distance before this year, will now turn his attention to becoming the
first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win the Olympic sprint double.
