Bolt beats Gatlin to win world 100m title

Bolt celebrating after winning the 100m in Beijing ... on Sunday
| credits: AFP
usain Bolt produced perhaps his greatest miracle of all as he put
a troubled build-up behind him to beat two-time doper and clear
favourite Justin Gatlin to retain his world 100m title, BBC
reports.
The controversial Gatlin came into the final on a 28-race
unbeaten run and apparently relishing his role as the sport’s bad
guy.
But at the same Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing where Bolt
announced himself to the world with two Olympic golds and two
world records in 2008, the Jamaican superstar came past a
faltering Gatlin at the death to snatch victory by one hundredth
of a second.
Bolt’s 9.79 seconds was more than two tenths off his world
record, but this was a night for athletics to celebrate victories
rather than times.
Canada’s Andre de Grasse and young American Trayvon Bromell
were both awarded bronzes in 9.92secs.
Few noticed. This was once again the Bolt show, even as the
world doubted him, even as his own struggles this summer
continued in a semi-final when he stumbled and almost fell.
Gatlin had looked unbeatable in running 9.77secs in his own
semi-final, but starting out in lane seven – US team-mate Tyson
Gay between him and Bolt in five – he was the slowest of the
main contenders from the block.
In every race this season his technique has been as certain as
his reception has been chequered. Yet, with Bolt out faster and
level with him at 50m, he tightened up horribly in the last 30
metres and staggered through the line as Bolt flew through.
The characterisation of this showdown as good versus evil was
always overplayed. Neither is it redemption for a sport when the
final contained three other men who have also returned from
doping bans.
Yet it is another reminder, if any were needed, of both Bolt’s
peerless competitive and athletic abilities and how much his
sport owes him.
Reigning Olympic and world champion Bolt had struggled for
form throughout 2015, with his best time of the year coming into
the final a run of 9.87secs at London’s Anniversary Games in
July.
“This means a lot because I’ve been struggling all season, it’s
taken me a while to work things out,” Bolt told BBC Sport.
“It’s been up and down but it’s OK now.”

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