The men's 100 meters caught many by surprise. It should not have been that surprising. Usain Bolt had not had strong training, and he had only two 100 meter races in 2017, and not against the finest of fields. Usain Bolt had been affected very much by the loss of a dear friend, and his spirit was just not all there.
Justin Gatlin, Christian Coleman, Usain Bolt, photo by PhotoRun.net
In the 100 meters, Usain Bolt found himself behind Christian Coleman, who had haunted him a bit in the semi-finals. Usain Bolt started to put pressure on himself, forcing himself to run fast. In the past, Usain Bolt would relax, let his normal acceleration happen and the race would be won. But, alas, neither that final gear, nor that fitness, nor that spirit was available for Mr. Bolt.
On the outside of the the track, Justin Gatlin was running a fine race, and took the race from the hands of Christian Coleman, and Usain Bolt.
The presser is one of the best of the World Championships. If you liked Usain Bolt before, you will like him more. Christian Coleman was fantastic, and Justin Gatlin holds his ground in this curious presser.
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