Bolt and ‘Beast’ compete for the sprinter’s crown
The 100m world record holder Usain Bolt and his Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake battle it out today in one of the most eagerly contests of the London Olympics.
Bolt, who led his country’s delegation at the Olympic opening ceremony, broke the 100m world record in Beijing in 2008 in 9.69 seconds and achieved a time of 9.58 seconds in Berlin the following year.
As well as being the fastest man in the world, he is heralded as the greatest sprinter of all time, and a time of 9.4 seconds in London is now being discussed.
“Everyone has been talking about 9.4 all season,” Bolt told CNN in July. “If it’s possible, I am the one.” This was Bolt’s target when he talked to Channel 4 News in June 2011.
‘My best’
“I’m hoping. I’m gonna give it my best,” he said then. “I know people would love to see that, and I’d love to see that too.”
The sprinter’s recent form and injury problems make this unlikely. Then there is the strength of the competition.
His most serious challenge comes from Yohan Blake, the athlete he calls “the Beast”. Blake beat him in the 100m and 200m at the Jamaican Olympic trials this year.
Disqualified
In August 2011, Bolt also watched Blake win the men’s 100m final at the World Athletics Championships in South Korea after being disqualified for a false start.
The then defending champion and Olympic gold medallist ripped off his shirt and held his head in his hands in frustration as he realised he had thrown away the big race at the championships.
His dramatic disqualification paved the way for Blake, his 21-year-old training partner, to storm home in 9.92 seconds, claiming his first major title.
Blake had been the quickest qualifier from the semi-finals in a race which also saw Britain’s Dwain Chambers disqualified for a false start.
But Bolt made up for his disqualification in the 100m by winning the 200m final days later with the fourth fastest time in history.
Bolt compared
His personal best is 9.56 seconds, while his average time this season is 9.91 seconds. Blake’s fastest time over 100m is 9.75 seconds, and his average time this season is also 9.91 seconds.
Today, Bolt also faces competition from fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell and US sprinters Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin. Powell’s personal best is 9.72 seconds, while Gay has managed 9.69 seconds.
Their average times this season are 9.95 seconds and 9.99 seconds respectively. Gatlin managed 9.80 seconds in the US this year.
Based on current form, running 100m in 9.4 seconds would seem to be beyond Bolt, but he can still beat the competition if he is at his best. The problem for the Olympic champion is that he looks some way off this.
