Track and field includes a variety of sports, but sprinting is the most popular in Jamaica, as Michael Johnson revealed in episode 2 of Netflix’s ‘Sprint’. His points are likewise shared by eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, who used to dominate races for fun.
The video then flashes back to the 100-meter sprint finals at the 2009 World Championships, where Bolt faced a competitive grid. However, with his dedication, he out-performed all of them to win the race in 9.58 seconds, a world record that is currently held in the sport of sprinting.
The Jamaican legend raised the bar for all athletes, including his own country’s sprinters, who now expect even more. Bolt continued to dominate the sport until he retired in 2017, winning eight Olympic gold medals and eleven World Championship crowns.
He sped through the 100, 200, and 4×100-meter events, and his and his teammates’ achievements elevated the country to new heights as a producer of quality sprinters.
The method by which they came to the top is something the nation does not want to let go of, and Bolt elaborates on this emotion, saying:
“Sprinting is something that Jamaicans love. They look forward to the World Championships. Because we reached the pinnacle and we want to stay there. It’s like a lifestyle in Jamaica.”
Bolt departed from the sport, leaving his legacy to the next generation of Jamaican athletes. However, competition has increased, and Noah Lyles’ qualification for the 100-meter sprint at the Paris Olympics is a cause for concern for other track athletes. During these instances, Jamaican track fans have discovered two new hopes following the Jamaican Olympic Trials.
After Usain Bolt, Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson Set to Shock the Track World
Usain Bolt’s absence caused the track world to see Lamont Marcell Jacobs become the first Italian to win an Olympic medal in the 100-meter sprint. This year, the expectations from the sprint event are high with several promising athletes participating in the tournament.
Noah Lyles was expected to perform well in the US Olympic Trials, and he did, but his personal best was eclipsed by Kishane Thompson, a fresh and potentially unheard Jamaican athlete. He also defeated Oblique Seville, one of Jamaica’s track prodigies, in the 100-meter finals, and both of them have qualified for the Paris Olympics.
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The two athletes also beat Lyles’ mark of 9.83, with Seville running 9.82 and Thompson running 9.77 to take the world lead. The 100-meter sprint will undoubtedly be an entertaining event at the Paris Olympics, with big names participating in the tournament.
