Usain Bolt can confidently move on to the 200m knowing he is the global sprint king after his stunning 100m victory at the World Athletics Championships when he shattered his own world record by a massive 0.11 seconds.
In an ecstatic Olympic Stadium on Sunday night, Bolt improved the world record by the biggest margin in history.
Perhaps more importantly, the Jamaican has also turned the normally placid world of athletics upside down with his irreverant humour and much-needed light-hearted approach, including his admittance to his pre-race munching of chicken nuggets.
His prancing around before starter’s orders, including the trademark stance of aiming his invisible bow and arrow towards the sky, has delighted the crowd.
It has also engendered some more enlightened reactions from his rivals, more accustomed to snarling poses seemingly suited more to cage fighting than an innocuous non-contact sprint.
As the television cameras panned across the line-up before the 100m, Asafa Powell stuck his hip number over his lips, for example, while others gurned or crossed eyes, all the time smiling and gesticulating.
Taking just 33 steps to hurtle his towering 6ft 5in frame down the track, Bolt destroyed a high-class field in running 9,58sec, bettering the previous best he set exacty one year previously in the Beijing Olympics final.
And the 22-year-old promised there was a lot more to come.
”I said I could run 9,4sec. I think it will stop at 9,4 but you never know,” said the Jamaican. ”Running 9,5sec is definitely a big thing. I’m proud of myself because I’m the first man to have done that.
”I honestly don’t know how fast I can go.
”But I don’t run for world records. I’ll just keep on working.”
American defending champion Tyson Gay finished second in a time of 9,71sec, a new national record but seemingly trivial in comparison to Bolt’s feat. Jamaica’s Asafa Powell claimed bronze in 9,84sec.
”The aim was just to come and win because I knew it was going to be a tough race,” added Bolt.
”I got a pretty good start. I was there at 20 metres and that was it. My aim now is to beat 9,58sec.”
Questioned whether he is the best-ever sprinter, Bolt was modest: ”I don’t know. I’ll have to let the people, the fans, decide.”
Bolt, who also claimed Olympic gold in the 200m and as part of the 4x100m relay team, will now turn his attention to the 200m, and again bid to prevent Gay from retaining his world crown.
Heats for the 200m are on Tuesday, with the semifinal on Wednesday and final on Thursday. The 4x100m relay heats are on Friday with the final on Saturday.
The pressure will be on Gay rather than Bolt to strike back for the US team in the battle of the sprints, but the American has been suffering a nagging groin injury and said he would be seeking medical advice before Tuesday’s heats.
Bolt also acknowledged that his world record over the 200m of 19,30sec would not likely be in jeopardy.
”I doubt I’m going to get the world record in the 200,” he said.
”I’m going out there to run hard, definitely, but I think it is going to be even more difficult.
”I haven’t run 200m much all season because I don’t think I was really in 200 shape. I took my time but when it comes to championships I’m always ready.”
As for his controversial pre-race chow-down on nuggets, doubtless scoffing in the face of athletic dietary advice, Bolt joked that he could track them down wherever.
”Asafa said there was no nuggets here but I actually found a McDonalds and I had a lot of nuggets for lunch,” Bolt said after the race without a hint of shame.
”So that’s good,” he chuckled. — AFP
