The world has witnessed Usain Bolt dominate the 100 and 200 meters from 2001 to 2017. However, when the Jamaican was just an emerging athlete, he experienced ups and downs in important championships. At the 2007 Osaka World Championships, Bolt faced stiff competition, as visible in race footage of an unearthed Instagram video.
The clip captures Bolt starting from lane 5, with Tyson Gay of the United States, a dominant sprinter at that time, in the adjacent lane. Wallace Spearmon, Marvin Anderson, and the rest were also part of this lineup.
Despite Bolt’s strong start, Tyson Gay appeared to sneak past him at the turn. Continuing to maintain his lead to pace away from his competitor, Tyson finished first with a time of 19.76 seconds against a 0.8 m/s headwind.
The American athlete was followed by Bolt, who finished second with a 19.91. They were the only two competitors who broke the 20-second mark at the prestigious event. This was Usain’s major competition setback, as the sprinter went on to dominate not just the 200 but also the 100 meters.
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Jamaica rose to a whole new level of prominence thanks to Usain Bolt’s supremacy. This created a lot of opportunities for the younger athletes in the country to improve their sprinting skills and potentially become national heroes like Bolt. However, the audience’s appetite and enthusiasm for track and field was fueled by more than just fame and recognition.
Usain Bolt Explains Jamaica’s Love for Sprinting
Jamaicans become excited whenever there is a major event, such as the World Championships or the Olympic Games because they adore track and field. Usain Bolt attributes this affection to the consistent supply of gold medals and world records every time a Jamaican athlete competes in an international event.
The dominance of the Jamaican athletes in the 100, 200, and 4×100-meter relay races has utterly spoiled the audience, who would prefer each generation of sprinters to continue the tradition of keeping the gold medal at home. The fans simply do not want to give up on what their track icons have accomplished through their hard work, and the sentiment is perfectly understood.
