‘Stop worrying about the start because the best part
of your race is the end’ advised Bolt’s coach. He couldn’t have been more
right. 30 metres in and you’d be forgiven for sensing Bolt was neck and neck
with his competitors in a race that would go right down to the final metre. By
the end, however, there was a clear winner. Usain had allowed his supernatural
speed to prove pre-race doubters wrong as he clocked up a new Olympic record of
9.63 seconds.
With hopes of a British athlete contesting for a medal dashed in the
semi-finals, albeit narrowly, the final was noticeably dominated by Jamaican
and American sprinters. Three men from each of these nations were joined by
Martina of the Netherlands, and Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, who qualified
ahead of Britain’s Dwain Chambers and Adam Gemili by a matter of milliseconds.
Whilst most had predicted a Jamaican victory, many had suggested Yohan Blake
would be the man to step up and take gold this time round – the official programme
had even tipped Asafa Powell to cause an upset – though in reality, it was
always Bolt’s medal for the taking. Blake secured Jamaica dominated the podium,
snatching silver, with American Justin Gatlin picking up the bronze.
