London Diaries, Day 7: Usain Bolt races the legend, wins 200m, by Larry Eder

I was in the stadium in Atlanta when Michael Johnson ran 19.32 for 200 meters, destroying his own world record of 19.66 at the time. It was an historic race. I never believed that I see that record broken in my lifetime.

Then, along comes Usain Bolt, who breaks the WR in Beijing during the Olympic Games in 2008, and again, in Berlin during the World Championships in 2009.

This is 2012, and on August 9, 2012, Usain Bolt defended his 200 meter title, running 19.32, leading a sweep for Jamaica, with Yohan Blake, in 19.44, and Warren Weir in 19.84.

Usain Bolt defends his 200 meters, photo by PhotoRun.net

Usain Bolt had the best start he has had in a long time in the 200 meters. He flew around the curve so fast that he tweeked his back! As Bolt came off the turn, he charged down the track, looked over at Yohan Blake, who was running in second, and touched his nose as he hit the line, running 19.32, equalling the time of one Michael Johnson, who ran such a magnificent WR in 1996.

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Yohan Blake added a second silver to his first competition in the Olympic Games, running 19.44, his seasonal best.

In third, there was a fight for the bronze, as youngster Warren Weir of Jamaica ran 19.84 to Wallace Spearmon’s 19.90. Spearmon was my pick to take the bronze. Spearmon had a great start, but his kick was just not there, and the young runner, Weir held on to the bronze medal.

Usain Bolt said, in the press conference that he came off the turn so fast, he tweeked his back. We do not know how that will effect his racing in the rest of the season.

If anyone was going to beat Usain Bolt, it would have been this year, as he is at about ninety percent. The fact is, Usain at 90 is better than the rest of the world.

Defending the 100 meters and 200 meters had not been done before, so, as Usain Bolt noted, he is a legend. In the sprints, it is Usain Bolt’s world, we just live in it!

Men’s 200 meters, 1. Usain Bolt, 19.32, SB, JAM, 2. Yohan Blake, 19.44, SB, JAM, 3. Warren Weir, JAM, 19.84, SB, 4. Wallace Spearmon, USA, 19.90, SB, 5. Churandy Martina, NED, 20.00, 6. Christophe Lemaitre, FRA, 20.19, 7. Alex Quinonez, ECU, 20.57, 8. Anasa Jobodwana, RSA, 20.69

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself."

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