Fastest Men in the World

Faster than a speeding bullet
(Courtesy KevinOQ @ Flickr)

The history of the 100m dash is the history of the world's fastest men. The first man to run a sub-10-second 100m was Jim Hines - 9.95 sec - at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in a non-finals heat ('Bullet' Bob Hayes won the gold medal in the finals in 10.06). The great Carl Lewis set the world record three times during his career, his last at 9.86. But three men in this year's finals heat were the last three to lower that number: Justin Gatlin (United States) had run a 9.77. Asafa Powell (Jamaica) had run 9.74. And Usain Bolt (Jamaica) had successively lowered the world record to 9.72, 9.69 (2008 Beijing Games), and finally 9.58 seconds (Berlin, 2009). But who would win it in these 2012 London Games? The winner would be declared the World's Fastest Man, regardless of who owns the current world record.


In the semi-finals, the four fastest qualifiers were: a) Justin Gatlin - 9.82, b) Johan Blake (Jamaica) - 9.85, c) Bolt - 9.87, and d) Tyson Gay (US) - 9.90. However, little can be discerned from those times since all these runners more or less coasted to the finish line once they knew that had qualified. Others qualifying included Chirandy Martina (Netherlands), Asafa Powell, Ryan Bailey (United States), and Richard Thompson (Trinidad and Tobago). Thompson ran for LSU back in 2008.

Bolt recognizes the Source
(iPad snap from NBCOlympics)

Tension filled the stadium as the finals qualifiers took their assigned lanes, each doing his own form of last minute ritual to focus on the moment. Three Jamaicans and three Americans were ready to debate which nation produced the world's fastest men. Bolt himself moved into a more serious and focused place. He's often a joker or just joyously humorous and playful when away from the race. But Sunday evening he was all about the task at hand.

The ultimate in focus
(iPad snap from NBCOlympics)

In the recent World Championships and in the Jamaican qualifying event for these Olympics, it was Johan Blake, his fellow countryman, that upstaged Usain, beating him both times. And earlier in the afternoon, Blake ran faster in his semi-final heat than Bolt had. But in the finals, there would be no joking around, no humor until this business was done.

Bolt hits the tape all alone
(iPad snap from NBCOlympics)

In less than 10 seconds, the jury was in, the debate was over, and the nod went clearly to the Bolt from that little island nation. Usain Bolt won another 100m gold, again in Olympic record time - 9.63 seconds. He and Blake finished 1-2, with the Americans having to settle for 3-4-5 (though both Justin Gatlin and Ryan Bailey set personal bests in the process, Tyson Gay, his season's best). In Usain Bolt's view, all was right again with the world. He was Olympic champion, the best Jamaican sprinter, and the World's Fastest Man once more. Now, he could joke around and be joyously humorous.

TODAY'S WORKOUT: Three mile jaunt around the neighborhood followed by active-isolated stretching. Average pace: 15:49.