Usain Bolt beat Justin Gatlin to win his third World Championship title in a 100 metres sprint that was immediately hailed as the race that saved the reputation of athletics.
On the finish line, the margin between the Jamaican and the American was one hundredth of a second, with Bolt winning in 9.79sec, but the gap between the men’s reputations has only grown bigger.
Before today, Gatlin, who has twice served bans for doping offences, had not been beaten in 28 races over two years. In Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium, however, with Bolt baring down two lanes to his left, he crumbled under the pressure, stumbling through the final 20 metres. His momentary loss of technique cost him the race.
The bronze medal was shared by Trayvon Brommell, Gatlin’s fellow American, and Canada’s Andre de Grasse, who both set a time of 9.911. The time set by Bolt was his season’s best.
Bolt, who has been struggling with a pelvic injury this season and nearly did not reach the final after stumbling in his semi, admitted that he was aware of the way the race had been portrayed as a contest between a hero and an unrepentant doper. But he emphasised that he had not dwelt on that narrative himself.
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“I understand why [people thought it was important for me to win],” Bolt said. “But as I said, I wanted to do it for myself. It was a big deal.”
He added: “This means a lot because I have been struggling all season. I am just happy.”
The stumble from Bolt during the semi-finals briefly looked as if it would deny the world the biggest sprint showdown in years. The Olympic champion, always a hesitant starter, stumbled out of the blocks and had to chase hard throughout his heat to qualify in 9.96. The confident swagger ahead of the race immediately changed into a disgusted shaking of the head after the early error almost cost him the final.
The Jamaican great had as many as seven racers to catch before winning the heat. Anxious, he spent the last ten metres looking to his left to make sure he would make the final.
As much as Bolt’s race was chaotic, Gatlin’s heat was dominant. Despite coasting, he still finished in 9.77 seconds, a time Bolt had not previously come close to this year.
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Bolt, the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder, has now not been beaten in the 100 metres or 200 metres in six major global championships going back to 2007.