BEIJING - World record holder Jamaican Usain Bolt dashed to his first Olympic gold in the men's 100 meters final and set a new world mark of 9.69 seconds at Bird's Nest here on Saturday.

Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago got the silver in 9.89 seconds and Dix Walter finished the third in 9.91 seconds.
Bolt didn't even use all his strength in final his final strides, while easing up and bouncing his chest with right palm before reaching the finish line. The previous world record was 9.72 seconds he set earlier this year.

Ecstatic Bolt, wearing the Jamaican national flag, repeatedly kissed his golden shoes, bathing in the hails of 91,000 spectators in the Chinese National Stadium.
Bolt posed for pictures beside the electronic bulletin which showed his new world record.
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Powell, a favorite sprinter also from Jamaica, said, "Usain is the greatest of the best, definitely untouchable."
"He could run much a lot faster," said Powell, who finished the fifth in the finals in 9.95 seconds.

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Bronze medalist Dix said, "I couldn't be more satisfied and I was proud of my performance here."
Meeting the world record holder for the first time in major events, Dix said, "He did a really good job."
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BEIJING -- One flew through the Bird's Nest.

Usain Bolt is his name. Track and field is his game. He comes from Jamaica, man. He runs like lightning. The wind can't catch him. No man can, either, man.

Oh, what a show. Oh, what a showoff too. How fast can a guy go? This is not the question to ask the U-Bolt. The question is this: How fast could U have gone if U hadn't hit the brakes? If U hadn't slowed down? If U hadn't clowned around?

"Nine-point-six-two?" guessed Michael Frater, Bolt's fellow Jamaican who finished sixth.

"It could have been 9.54," said Trinidad's Marc Burns, who ran seventh.

Patton was eighth.

He ran a 10.03 and got smoked.

Jesse Owens ran slower in Berlin and won. A 10.03 would have been good for a gold medal at Rome in 1960 or at Munich in 1972. In this race, it put Patton dead last.

A 30-year-old American, oldest dog in this hunt, Patton has seen a few times in his time. But none like this.

"He's a freak of nature, that's all I can say," he repeated. "Have you ever seen anything like that before? Did you ever think you'd see anything like that?

"Freak of nature. You guys come up with a better word and I'll use it, I promise."

Us guys have seen a few things ourselves.

Ben Johnson, for one. Those of us who were in South Korea on that day 20 years ago when the Jamaica-born Canadian looked up and saw "9.79" on the clock doubted we would ever again see a human run that fast.

We found out why he ran that fast when Johnson's drug test came back. It proved him to be a cheater rather than a cheetah. A lowdown, no good stinkin' skunk.

Chemical warfare, that's all that was.

But we also got to see Carl Lewis win lean and clean. We got to see Donovan Bailey wave the Maple Leaf and erase Johnson's disgrace with an Olympic-record 9.84.

A couple months ago, a sweet guy by the name of Tyson Gay put a mind-boggling 9.68 on the board. He had wings beneath his feet but a too-strong wind at his back. So his record didn't count.

Gay came to Beijing hoping that lightning would strike twice.

Instead, he got hit by a Bolt.

A sore hamstring handicapped Gay. He tried to run with it anyway, but he couldn't get beyond a semifinal heat.

"I just didn't have nothin' in me today," Gay said. "I'm pretty upset."

He needn't be. Each semi went so fast, they eliminated from the finals the 2007 world champion (Gay), the '07 world runner-up (Derrick Atkins), the 2004 Olympic silver medalist (Francis Obikwelu) and the 2003 world champion (Kim Collins).

These feet were fleet.

In the dash for the gold, though, Bolt was way ahead of the field. Ridiculously so. He won this race by the kind of margin that reminded you of Secretariat in a Belmont.

And he won it with style.

What a character. Bolt came out to the track kissing his fingertips. He got to the starting blocks and clapped with stiff and extended arms, like a seal. Then he struck an archer's pose and pretended to shoot an arrow toward the moon.

He did all kinds of crazy hand jive, gestures we can't even describe. It felt like watching a third-base coach at a baseball game.

Walter Dix stood two lanes over, wearing a pair of shades for a race that went off at 10:30 at night. He was the best American hope in this race. But even with the sunglasses, he could see there was trouble afoot.

"The first 40 meters, I ran like I'd been coached," Dix said. "Then I looked over and saw Bolt was gone."

He and everybody else in the Bird's Nest also saw Bolt look around, a few steps shy of the finish line, see no one else close, slap his chest and spread his arms.

He decelerated and still ran a 9.69. Good heavens.


Usain Bolt of Jamaica, arms at side as he begins to celebrate, nears the finish line in the 100 meters Saturday in Beijing, where he won the gold medal in a world record of 9.69 seconds.


The rest of the field gets a good view of Usain Bolt crossing the finish line in winning the men's 100 meter in a world record of 9.69 seconds on Saturday in Beijing.

How good is he?

"Like a world record holder, that's how good he is," Dix could not deny.

Bolt ended his run and went into his strut.

He waded into the crowd. He took off his gold shoes and kissed them. He took a cock-of-the-walk stroll around the track, barefoot, flapping his arms like wings, then posing like Superman with his hands on his hips.

"I'd have done the same thing," Patton said. "He just broke the world record on the big stage. I'd have done a backflip. I'd have scored a perfect 10.

"It's the Olympics, man. He deserves the attention. He's the talk of the town. He's the talk of the world."

And the fastest man in it.

<table width="580" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center"></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td style="padding-top: 8px;" align="center"> Chart: 100 meter Usain Bolt
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Source: Los Angeles Times, August 17, 2008

'Lightening' Bolt smashes 200m world record to become first man in 24 years to win Olympic sprint double


Usain 'Lightening' Bolt today became the first man in 24 years to win the sprint double after storming to gold in the 200 metres and smashing the world record in the process.

The Jamaican, who turns 21 tomorrow, is the first sprinter since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win the 100m and the 200m and only the ninth to do so in modern Olympic history.

He stormed to victory before a packed Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing in 19.30 seconds - 0.02 seconds under the record set by Michael Johnson in Atlanta in 1996.
The win also made him the first man ever to break world records in both events. He won the 100m on Saturday in 9.69 seconds, apparently slowing down before the line.


Joy: Usain Bolt celebrates winning the 200m and the sprint double

Michael Phelps has been hailed as the competitor of the Games after taking eight golds in the pool, but Bolt's double could see him rival for the same title.

Overwhelmed at his own success, he collapsed to the ground after the race today and clutched his head in his hands.

The 6ft 5in sprinter had already astonished the crowds with his 100m run at the weekend where he was clearly celebrating winning the gold before crossing the line.
In the 200m today, there was no relaxation until he passed the finish - despite the fact he was storming ahead of the field well before the 100m mark.

After the event, he said: 'It's great. I have a great feeling. This is a dream come true. You come out every day to be a champion and I'm just happy.'

Asked if he had been aiming to beat Johnson's record, he added: 'I was worried after the semis but I told everybody I would leave everything on the track and I did just that. I've proved I'm a true champion and that with hard work, anything is possible.'

Impressive: Bolt grins as he powers across the line to take gold

But breaking Johnson's time set 12 years ago is a huge achievement for the Jamaican, who has become a star of Beijing since winning at the weekend.

Johnson, now a commentator for the BBC, pretended to be gutted as Bolt made it to the finish just under his own record time but then erupted into laughter.

The American had earlier predicted that his record would stand, but admitted it would not be long before he had to 'kiss it goodbye'.

That came sooner than he expected however, as Bolt proved him wrong by completely dominating the race to produce one of the stand-out moments of the entire Games.

Amid wild celebrations after his winning run, the watching crowd sang Happy Birthday to the athlete as he jogged a lap of honour.

He also did a bizarre jig in front of photographers before turning to the television cameras and repeatedly saying: 'I am Number One'.

Doing the double: Bolt is the first man since Carl Lewis (right) to win both the 100m and 200m sprint events in one Olympics

Johnson, who watched the event from the BBC's spot above the track, was gracious in his praise for the new record holder.

'He got an incredible start. I looked at Colin Jackson and I said, "Wow!". It was much more of an amazing start than he got in the 100m and his turn was just absolutely fabulous.

'He wanted that record. This is his favourite event. He went for it. He came in here focused on it, knowing most likely he'd win the gold.

'The reason I felt he might not get it here was he wouldn't have been working on speed endurance, the ability to hold that speed for the entire race but he showed that he had been working on that, and was able to bring home 19.30.

'Incredible time, incredible performance by Usain Bolt once again. Congratulations Usain.'

Top dog: The Jamaican beat the record held by Michael Johnson by 0.02 seconds


The 21-year-old was a massive odds-on favourite to take the second title after his form in the heats wowed his fellow competitors.

In the final, Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles took silver but there was controversy over the bronze position.

American Wallace Spearmon crossed the line in third but was disqualified for running out of his lane and team-mate Shawn Crawford was promoted on to the podium.
Britain's Christian Malcolm could only manage seventh place in a time of 20.40 seconds.

Speculation was today already turning to whether Bolt could bring home the 'double double' by winning both events again at the London Games in 2012.

He was not even born when Lewis bagged the double in Sarajevo in 1984 and few outside athletics would have known his name before these Olympics.

But his impressive performances ensure he will leave Beijing one of the most well-known athletes on the planet.

Beaten: Michael Johnson after setting the previous record in Atlanta in 1996


Source: Daily Mail UK, August 20, 2008

cool....fastest man in the world...n a nice nick name to go wif it..

his is indeed lighting bolt.
he may be the first man to break the 9.50 barrier.

BEIJING (AFP) - Jamaica's Usain Bolt broke the 200-meter world record Wednesday to complete the first Olympic golden sprint double in 24 years and the first 100-200 twin triumphs to feature two world records.

Just four days after shattering his own world 100m record, and on the eve of his 22nd birthday, Bolt pulled away around the curve and won in 19.30 seconds.

"I have a great feeling. It's a dream come true," Bolt said. "I got out good. I ran the corner as hard as possible and once I entered the straight I told myself to keep it up - 'Don't die on me now.'"

Bolt, who had not before been pressed to run to the finish line at these Games, raced past the former world record of 19.32 set by American legend Michael Johnson at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

"I left everything on the track," Bolt said. "I'm shocked. I have been aspiring to the world record for so long. I never expected this. I knew the track was a fast track, but I didn't think this was possible."


Not since Carl Lewis in 1984 had any man claimed 100m and 200m gold in the same Olympics, but this lightning Bolt struck twice in the same place to the delight of 91,000 roaring fans at the Bird's Nest.

"I was worried but I told myself to leave everything on the track," Bolt said. "I had come here to do it and I'm so happy with myself."

Bolt completed his quest to become the ninth man to achieve the 100-200 Olympic double after winning the 100 final on Saturday in an astounding 9.69 seconds, breaking his former world mark of 9.72 from May in New York.

Still, Bolt said he will cherish he 200 medal more than his 100 gold.

"The 200 medal, it has been my dream," Bolt said.

As Bolt danced around the track on a victory lap, the stadium loudspeakers played "Happy Birthday" to the Jamaican some 90 minutes early.

After crossing the finish line and raising his arms in celebration, Bolt grabbed a Jamaican flag and draped it around his neck. He took off his golden shoes and began an impromptu celebration dance.

Churandy Martina of Dutch Antilles crossed the line a distant second to Bolt in 19.82 with Wallace Spearmon next but both were later disqualified by officials.

The US team appealed Spearmon's penalty, withdrew that, protested Martina for running outside his lane and had that protest upheld, leaving 2004 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford second in 19.96 and fellow American Walter Dix third in 19.98.

The whole mess only stretched Bolt's victory margin even more than the man did himself.

Crawford could only marvel at Bolt, who reminded him of US eight-gold swim superman Michael Phelps.

"The guy came out and made the best Olympics of my lifetime," Crawford said. "To me, Bolt is like what Michael Phelps is to swimming."

Ironically, Johnson had said just hours earlier he did not think Bolt had what it took to erase his record from the books in Beijing.

"I don't think his training has been geared to that part yet," Johnson said. "But in a few years it will be and then I will be ready to kiss my record goodbye."

Bolt was not the only Jamaican to mine gold.

Melaine Walker continued the island's domination of US women by winning the women's 400m hurdles in 52.64 seconds with American Sheena Tosta second in 53.70 and Britain's Tasha Danvers third in 53.84.

The grudge match began when Jamaicans swept the women's 100m medals with three Americans adrift and will continue in Thursday's women's 200m finals.

World champion Allyson Felix of the United States and 2004 Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica led trios of women from their nations through the 200m semi-finals.

World record-holder Dayron Robles of Cuba booked his place in Thursday's 110m hurdles final by winning his semi-final in 13.12 seconds.

Reigning 1,500m and 5,000m world champion Bernard Lagat bounced back in the opening heats of the 5,000m after failing to reach the 1,500m finals, the American winning his qualifying heat for Saturday's final in 13:39.70.

Olympic 1,500m champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia continued his bid for a distance double by finishing third in Lagat's heat.

World pole vault champion Brad Walker missed three attempts at 5.65m, the American posting no height to miss out on Friday's final.

Aksana Miankova of Belarus won the women's hammer throw with a best effort of 76.34m.


http://www.afp.com/english/news/stor...548dd.231.html

This time, he refrained from celebrating his victory until after he had crossed the finishing line.

But Usain Bolt still pulverised his opponents in the 200m race yesterday, just as he had four days earlier in the 100m.

The Jamaican sprinter - nicknamed Lightning Bolt - became the first man for a quarter-century to win both sprints at the same Olympics.

Joy: Usain Bolt celebrates winning the 200m and the sprint double


Miles ahead: Bolt crosses the finish almost a second ahead of Martina Churandy and Shawn Crawford, lane four

And Bolt, who is 22 today, now holds the world record in the two events.

He won the 200m in 19.30secs, breaking the 12-year-old record of Michael Johnson by 0.02 seconds.

A crowd of 91,000 at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium broke into wild applause as the athlete sank to his knees on the track after crossing the finishing line.

On Saturday, he had astonished the Beijing crowds, and millions of TV viewers, by breaking his own world record in the 100m - seemingly without needing to try.

He recorded a time of 9.69seconds, but many athletic experts believe he could have gone under 9.60secs if he had not slowed 10m from the line and beat his chest in expectation of his victory.

Top dog: The Jamaican beat the record held by Michael Johnson by 0.02 seconds

The two wins mean that 6ft 5in Bolt is both literally and figuratively head and shoulders above his rivals. He is unusually tall and skinny for a sprinter, and he has become the most drug-tested athlete in Beijing.

He has undergone more than 35 tests since breaking the world record in the 100m at the end of June.

His win yesterday made him the first man since Carl Lewis in Los Angeles in 1984 to win both sprint titles. And with the relay races to come, the Jamaican now rivals eight-times swimming gold medallist Michael Phelps as the star of the Beijing Games.

The crowd cheered as Bolt jogged, danced and shimmied his way around a lap of honour with the Jamaican flag draped on his back.

Just as he did after the 100m, he took off his gold shoes and held them up to the crowd.

Doing the double: Bolt is the first man since Carl Lewis (right) to win both the 100m and 200m sprint events in one Olympics

Fastest man in the world: 'Lightening' during his lap of honour

Advertising executives estimate Bolt's golden double is worth an estimated ?10million to him in the next year.

And pundits were last night asking whether this man from the small Jamaican town of Trelawny - who had wanted to be a fast bowler before being persuaded to try running - could become the greatest sprinter of all time.

'Its just great,' declared Bolt after the race. 'This is a dream come true. You come out every day to be a champion and I am just happy. I told everyone I would leave everything on the track and I did just that. I have proved I am a true champion and that with hard work anything is possible.'

The presence of Bolt had turned the 200m final into a kind of theatre with scores of TV cameras focused on his every movement.
Finalist: Britain's Christan Malcolm came in seventh in the 200 metres final

As each gesture was seen by the crowd on the big screen, it was met with cheers and applause.

Michael Johnson, who watched in the stadium, had claimed earlier in the day that he felt his record would not be broken, but that it was only a matter of time before he could 'kiss it goodbye'.

Bolt clearly agreed and the determination on his face was clear as he powered down the home straight before glancing anxiously at the clock as he crossed the line.
Briton Christian Malcolm, who finished sixth, paid his own tribute to Bolt, saying: 'He is without a doubt one of the best competitors I have ever seen. He has raised the bar now and the rest of us have got to follow.

'It is amazing, what can you say? I think people were shocked when Michael Johnson did what he did in Atlanta.

'I think people will be more shocked by what Usain Bolt has done in these championships. He is a good guy and it can only help the sport.'

One he did earlier: Bolt after breaking the 100 metre record


Source: Daily Mail UK, August 21, 2008

Lol. He's pretty damn crazy like Phelps.

Shouldn't have slowed down at the end of the 100m sprint.

Lightning strikes for third time in same place as Bolt smashes another world record to take Olympic gold no3


Usain 'Lightning' Bolt today smashed another world record to take an extraordinary third Olympic gold.

The Jamaican's astounding performance in the mens 4x100m relay secured his team victory - and a place in history.

Bolt has already taken two gold medals - and world records - in the 100 and 200 metre events, becoming the first man in 24 years to win the sprint double.
Record breakers: Men's 4x100m relay Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter


Usain Bolt cheers on his team-mate Asafa Powell (left) and then celebrates with him as the team takes gold

Today Bolt, along with team-mates Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Asafa Powell ran the relay in 37.10 seconds, smashing the 37.40 seconds set by the United States in 1992.

However, his stunning achievement has already sparked criticism from Olympics chief Jacques Rogge who accused him of showing a lack of respect to other competitors

Rogge compared him to American great Jesse Owens, but said he should have cut out the look-at-me flaunting and acknowledged the other athletes.

'That's not the way we perceive being a champion, he said. 'I have no problem with him doing a show.

'I think he should show more respect for his competitors and shake hands, give a tap on the shoulder to the other ones immediately after the finish and not make gestures like the one he made in the 100 meters.'

Having built a huge lead in Saturday's 100 final, Bolt slowed, glanced around with arms outstretched and pounded his chest before crossing the finish line in a world record time of 9.69 seconds.

'I understand the joy,' Rogge said. 'He might have interpreted that in another way, but the way it was perceived was "catch me if you can".

'You don't do that. But he'll learn. He's still a young man.'
Bolt, who turns 22 today, stormed to another one-sided victory in the 200 metres last night before 91,000 spectators at the Bird's Nest stadium.

Critic: IOC chief Jacques Rogge

He broke Michael Johnson's 12-year-old record of 19.32 seconds and lowering the mark to 19.30.

The sprinter made little effort to congratulate the other runners as he wrapped himself in a Jamaican flag and set off on a solo victory lap.

Swaying to the reggae music on the stadium loudspeakers, he walked barefoot around the track, putting his face inches from a TV camera, raising an index finger and yelling: 'I am No. 1! I am No. 1!'

'He still has to mature,' Mr Rogge said. 'I would love him to show more respect for his competitors.

'That's not the way we perceive being a champion. But he will learn in time.

'He should shake hands with his competitors and not ignore them. He'll learn that sooner or later. But (he's) a great athlete, of course.'

His victory in the 200m meant Bolt was the first man since Carl Lewis to achieve the sprint double, and the only man ever to do it by breaking world records in both.
Jessie Owens, meanwhile, completed the 100-200 sweep at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, adding golds in the long jump and relay.

'Bolt is in another dimension in sprints,' Rogge said. 'He must be considered now the same way like Jesse Owens should have been in the 1930s. Bolt has a bigger edge than Owens on his rivals.

'Of course, Owens had the long jump too, so you can't compare people. If he maintains that in the future, Bolt will be someone that probably leaves a mark like Jesse Owens.'

Number One: Bolt tore off on a lap of honour after winning the 200m without greeting his rivals


Source: Daily Mail UK, August 22, 2008