University of Tennessee product Justin Gatlin has had better times than Bolt in the past couple years and has openly pursued this showdown and his own history – becoming the oldest 100 victor at age 34, 12 years after claiming gold in the event in Athens.
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The 29-year-old was down at halfway and had to work harder than expected to overhaul the two-time drug cheat Gatlin, who took silver in 9.89secs, with Canada’s Andre de Grasse winning bronze in 9.91s.
Bolt will now switch his focus to the 200 meter and 4×100 relay as he attempts to win three golds for the third successive Games, an achievement he says will define his legendary career.
He was the clear favourite to win in Beijing a year ago, and many thought he could beat Bolt in Rio.
“I’m excited about what about to happen for the rest of the Olympics, I really want the 200m world record”, he said. “It’s challenging but it’s what we train for”. “I told you guys I was going to do it”. “Two more to go”.
“Somebody said I can become immortal”.
The image, snapped by Australian photographer Cameron Spencer for Getty, pretty much sums up Bolt’s dominance and will probably go down as the most memorable of the Rio Olympics.
If the fans were pleased, it is hard to imagine the relief felt by officials of the IAAF and International Olympic Committee, who must have been dreading a Gatlin victory.
The American is well known to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for his crimes, and has been banned twice already for doping offences, which explains why he was booed.
Even Bolt expressed surprise over the jeers Gatlin was subjected to when the athletes were introduced to the Brazilian crowd.
Bolt, in contrast, brought the spectators to a fever pitch of excitement as he strolled in, smiling and waving, to chants of “Bolt, Bolt, Bolt”. “But I’m in better shape than last season”.
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When asked if Bolt is bigger in Jamaica than Bob Marley, Blake said “he’s getting there”.
