Usain Bolt, World Champs 2015, August 23, 2015, photo by PhotoRun.net
This was a race for the ages.
The crowd was on its feet, and I have never seen more cameras filming the race for all of the world to see! I am not sure why major media organizations do not see how such social media helps the official broadcast, making it that much better, but, I have digressed.
Justin Gatlin ran 9.77, then, 9.83, and in the final, 9.80.
Usain Bolt barely got through the semi-final, after his slip, but he did.
His coach, Glen Mills, whom he both respects and listens to, told Usain to relax and run his final.
In the end, it was not an elegant race, but as one Jamaican journalist told me afterwards, ” Usain got out okay and was behind at 40 meters, 60 meters and 70 meters. But, by 80 meters, Usain was going to win.”
And win he did.
Justin Gatlin noted, after the race that he had messed up a bit in the final. He did not attribute it to nerves, but of course, with such a huge crowd, and for Justin, some vindication for his nine years of missing big meets, had to play a part.
Watching the smile on Usain Bolt’s face after the race, told all the story. Satisfaction on a race well run, and well won. We hear that Ricky Simms, Usain’s agent, thought that Usain may have leaned a meter too early. Not sure, but in the 100 meters, as two men are dueling, nothing else matters but who gets across the line first. Inelegant yes, but amazingly fascinating to watch.
Here is a short audio piece I did on the race as it was fresh in my head.
