Bolt and beautiful

Usain Bolt was dancing around the starting lineup when it all began, at 10.25 pm (IST) here on Saturday night.

He was playing the role of Mr Showman. Slow clapping turned into a loud roar when he did that sling special, taking the aim from his shoulders towards the crowd. The beat of the drums got the feet tapping as heartbeats bounced with the loud thump. The Fastest Man In The World was getting ready for the big show.

Five minutes later, as the starting shot was fired, it all became a blur. And then you saw the man, looking over his shoulders, twice, before crossing the finishing line and thumping his right fist into the chest and then gliding along like a free bird, a free soul. 9.69 seconds! That was all it took for the Jamaican to cover the sacred 100 metres. It’s what the sprinters swear by. It’s what the 80,000 inside the Bird’s Nest had waited for since early evening, They all exhaled together, shaking the steel marvel in unison.

It was incidental that Bolt had clipped .03 seconds off his world record. He had slowed down in the last 15 meters, reveling in his own superhuman speed. It was arrogant. It was awesome. Such effortless win has not been seen in the ‘super dash’ since Ben Johnson, muscles bulging, eyes yellow with steroids, barged past the field and raised that naughty finger to silence the world in 1988. But that was an aberration. A blot. This was Bolt. ‘Lightning Bolt’. He raised both is arms and ran from the finishing, gliding like a kite, not bothering to look behind. He stopped when he saw that Jamaican flag in the stands and stood like a champion, legs wide spread, soaking in the adulation.

In the victory run, he stopped towards at the world record board, and kneeled in satisfaction. The flash of the cameras bounced off him. He was not tired, just delirious. So was everybody as the soulful beat of Reggae filled the stadium. It was party time at the Nest.

But where were the others? The gladiators? Well, Bolt was the last off the blocks but once he surged ahead, the others just melted in the cauldron. Richard Thomson of Trinidad and Tobago took the silver in 9.89 seconds, 0.2 seconds off the superman while USA’s Walter Dix, dreadlocks flying, came in third at 9.91 secs.

Asafa Powell, Bolt’s teammate whose record Bolt broke in New York on May 31 this year, was third fastest off the blocks. He trooped in fifth at 9.95 secs. And Tyson Gay? He became a footnote on the night that mattered most. He failed to qualify for the final.

Jamaican RUN

Usain Bolt of Jamaica produced a stunning performance to win the men’s 100 metres Olympic title here on Saturday in a new world record time of 9.69 seconds. The 21-year-old beat home Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago (9.89secs) while Walter Dix of the United States was third in a time of 9.91 secs. “I felt the world record earlier on,” said Bolt, the first Jamaican to win the title. “I came here just to win and I did just that. I didn’t even know I’d broken the world record until I did my victory lap. “Now I’m just concentrating on my two races coming up. I came here prepared and I’m going to try and do it the (100 and 200m double).”

Dr Herb Elliott, Jamaican team chief doctor, immediately moved to scotch suggestions that the youngster was doped. “I don’t care about the rumours. He’s been tested over and over again,” said Elliott. Bolt’s compatriot, and former world record holder, Asafa Powell came fifth as six of the eight finalists finished under 10 seconds, a record for the Olympic final, which also equalled the 1991 world final in Tokyo when six men also dipped under the 10 second barrier.

Powell, who again failed on the big stage, paid handsome tribute to his compatriot who could well go on and add the 200m title later in the Games. “He is the best ever sprinter and I’ve said that before,” said the 25-year-old. “He has run 9.69 and got the gold so he is definitely the greatest. It was a spectacular performance and he was definitely the best here. He could have run faster if he had run straight through the line.” Powell admitted he had run out of steam. “I was feeling good but I didn’t feel it in my legs. They died on me.”

Bolt, who bettered compatriot Don Quarrie’s silver medal from the 1976 Olympics when he ironically finished second to a Trinidadian in Hasely Crawford, was headed by Thompson for the first part of the race but there was no contest once he got into his stride and went clear away from the field.

So commanding was his lead he eased up well before the line and held out his hands in celebration. Behind him Thompson showed the same impressive form the 23-year-old had displayed during the earlier heats to hold on to second and was left in awe of the winner. “It feels good to be here, to be part of history,” said Thompson. “It was good to finish behind him (Bolt) because there’s no way anyone on earth could have beaten him tonight. “To finish second to him that is a great accomplishment in itself. Usain is a great athlete. It was just a matter of time before he proved himself on this stage.”

Dix, also an Olympic debutant, came on strong in the final metres to overhaul Powell, who lost out on fourth place to surprise package Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles.

Both Dix and Martina admitted that Bolt was just in another world. “That was the greatest race ever,” beamed 22-year-old Dix, who will take on Bolt again in the 200m. “I can’t be more satisfied with third place. He (Bolt) broke the world record, you can’t ask for more.”

Martina, who showed championship credentials with fifth and seventh in the 100 and 200m at last year’s world championships, said Bolt could take the time down even further. “Everyone could see what he did, he didn’t even push through the line. Its an amazing time,” said the 24-year-old. World champion Tyson Gay, out of action for just over a month after suffering a hamstring injury before the Olympics, exited in the semi-finals earlier on Saturday, when he finished fifth.