USAIN BOLT wins Olympics 100m final

Details

Published on Sunday, 05 August 2012 20:52

Written by Elombah.com

Usain Bolt wins Olympics 100m final: Usain Bolt successfully defends title at London 2012. Usain Bolt has won the men's 100m final at London 2012 in an Olympic record time of 9.63 seconds. The Jamaican world record holder, 25, powered to victory ahead of compatriot Yohan Blake and American bronze medallist Justin Gatlin.

History has been made as Usain Bolt retains his 100m title. This is the first time a winner retains the title of the most prestigious Olympic sport. It has never been made ebefore.

Bolt, who won the Olympic title so memorably in Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium four years ago, didn't get the best of starts but once he got motoring there was no stopping him.

His compatriot Blake was second in a time of 9.75, while Gatlin was third in 9.79 as seven of the eight runners went under 10 seconds.

Thunder Bolt: lightning Usain strikes twice; the Jamaican sprinter wins in 9.63 seconds, the second fastest time ever, to defend title he won in Beijing ahead of his compatriot Yohan Blake and the USA's Justin Gatlin

Who are the fastest sprinters in history? 

The top 10 fastest sprinters of all time are: 

1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica) – fastest time: 9.58, set the 100m Olympic record (9.69) at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. 

2. Tyson Gay (US) – fastest time: 9.69 seconds, also ran a wind-aided 9.68 at the 2008 US Olympic trials. 

3. Asafa Powell (Jamaica) – fastest time: 9.72, during heats at the 2007 IAAF Rieti Grand Prix. 

4. Maurice Greene (US) – fastest time: 9.79, 1999. 

5. Donovan Bailey (Canada) – fastest time: 9.84 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

6. Bruny Surin (Canada) – fastest time: 9.84, Surin's second-place finish of 9.84 at the 1999 World Championships was the fastest ever silver medal time.

7. Leroy Burrell (US) – fastest time: 9.85.

8. Justin Gatlin (US) – fastest time: 9.85, 2004 Olympics.

9. Olusoji Fasuba (Nigeria) – fastest time: 9.85, Doha Grand Prix in 2006.

10. Carl Lewis (US) – fastest time: 9.86.

Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the gold medal in the Men's 100m Final on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Why are Jamaicans so good at running very, very fast?

Despite having a population of just 3 million people, Jamaica has won 14 Olympic gold medals - many of them in sprinting. Jamaicans continue to dominate the 100m - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce retained her Olympic 100m title in London on Saturday, becoming the first woman since American Gail Devers in 1992 and 1996 to win back-to-back 100m titles at an Olympic Games. Another Jamaican, Veronica Campbell-Brown, took the bronze. Bolt famously took gold in Bejing four years ago and Sunday night, there could be Jamaicans in all the top three spots. Usain Bolt's father Wellsley credits his upbringing in the hills of Trelawny. Another theory mooted by Professor Rachel Irving from the University of West Indies, was that a lot Jamaicans have high levels of serotonin in their bodies, making them very determined and aggressive. While Professor Errol Morrison from Kingston University of Technology told the BBC that because the Jamaican gene pool is relatively homogenous. "There are many potential Usain Bolts, Asafa Powells and Shelly-Ann Frasers so Jamaica will rule for many years to come," he claimed. Perhaps one of the most important factors is the influence of have a history of sprinters like Bolt, who has shown children growing up in Jamaica that they too could be the most talked about athlete in the world

• < Prev
• Next >