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‘Sluggish’ Bolt does enough in 100m heats

If there’s ever a time to be patriotic, it’s the Olympics. When an entire stadium does that, without being told, as if by some automated turn of the key, you know that special things will unfold.

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Usain Bolt at Olympic Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, August 13. He’s Jamaican. But he has the passion for being the best, the unstoppable willpower, the tireless drive every American can appreciate.

Bolt is bidding for his third straight title in the 100 and his third straight sprint triple. Of course, no one has added more to the total than Phelps. But Bolt still posted a 10.07-second finish, the day’s fourth-best mark.

As the Associated Press noted in 2012: “Almost single-handedly, Bolt has helped track transform itself from a dying sport to one with a singular, smiling, worldwide star”. They certainly don’t call him “Lightning Bolt” for no reason! Speaking of shows, his favorite TV program is, believe it or not, “The Big Bang Theory”.

Dutch star Dafne Schippers Americans English Gardner and Tori Bowie as well as Jamaican compatriot Elaine Thompson will present a stern test to her Fraser-Pryce’s title hopes. “I haven’t seen any difference in him because from the beginning, I think his personality is just the same”, she said.

Bolt, who affirmed last week that this would be his last Summer Games, has won six medals overall and back-to-back golds in the 100 and 200 meters.

Felix wins heat – Allyson Felix won her first round 400-meter heat in 51.24 seconds to advance to the semifinals.

How did you feel in your first race at the Rio Games?

The fastest qualifier, for what it’s worth at this stage of the competition, was Gatlin.

Artistic gymnasts are enjoying a two-day break after a truly punishing schedule in which U.S. sensation Simone Biles became all-round women’s champion and could yet add to her titles in Rio.

While competitions wrap up in swimming and rowing, they’re just heating up in track and field, which will award five golds: for the women’s 100 meter sprint and the heptathlon, and the men’s 10,000 meters, discus and long jump.

Yet, the lanky Bolt is not the only one looking for a place in history. Bolt is on the cusp of 30.

Bolt has endured a frustrating season, repeatedly bothered by a hamstring problem that has required extensive treatment and forced him to cut short his appearance at Jamaica’s trials in Kingston in July.

Always the crown jewel in the Olympic athletics programme, the Rio 100 metres final is shaping up to be extraordinary for many reasons.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it had received Klishina’s appeal of the decision imposed by the IAAF’s doping review board. And the use of performance-enhancing drugs has been a particularly huge scandal in this year’s Olympics, with widespread abuses by Russian athletes leading the headlines.

A second positive in 2006 – for excessive levels of testosterone – was more problematic.

Gymnastics: Women’s vault (1:45 p.m., tape-delayed on NBC after 8 p.m.) – Simone Biles will be favored to win her third gold medal of the Games as the event finals begin.

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At 10.01 seconds, Gatlin had the fastest time of the day.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt clocked 10.7 seconds to win his 100m