Usain Bolt‘s achievements in sprinting are something that will be remembered forever. During his competitive career, the Jamaican athlete was a headache for his opponents, with only a few races in which he finished lower than first place.
However, of all the races in the track legend’s career, the 2009 World Championships’ 100-meter final remains at the pinnacle of the sport. A video of the race was recently resurfaced, which was posted by World Athletics and drew immediate attention from the track community.
There was a lot of anticipation for the World Championships in Berlin after Bolt attained it with a 9.69 in the 2008 Beijing Olympics; however, the track star was up against a competitive grid that included Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell, and others.
Despite the competition, the Jamaican athlete was far ahead of them, as evidenced by the video, as he gained speed and surged forward from the grid with only a noticeable gap between him and Gay, who finished second. Bolt’s lightning-fast speed allowed him to complete the 100-meter sprint in 9.58 seconds, and that number is still well-known in the sport, as no one has come close.
This video also grabbed many viewers, who remember this incredible race from the past as something to never forget.
“The pinnacle of sprinting! Bolt, Powell, Gay, Blake, Gatlin. What a time to be a sprinting fan.”
Another admirer notes about the track rivalry of these athletes.
“After Usain Bolt retired, I really missed the rivalry between Jamaican men and the USA men. Seems we are about to get a taste of it in Paris.”
Even though Bolt has the 100-meter and 200-meter world records, one fan believes he did not reach his full potential.
“I firmly believe we never saw Bolt run at his full potential. I think in several races the 9.50 could have dropped and even went lower than the 9.40. I guess we’ll never know…”
One fan recalls witnessing this history in the stadium itself.
“At the stadium in Berlin! It was incredible to witness this record live!”
This fan identified the reasons that lead to such an excellent time.
“great start…acceleration phase was perfect! great closing speed!”
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Such a level of competition is something that track fans will be looking forward to at the Paris Olympics since there have been numerous promises made regarding world records. Even Bolt’s former teammate has recently joined the world record discussion, believing that a certain athlete is on the verge of breaking it.
Asafa Powell opines on Noah Lyles’ chasing Usain Bolt’s world record
Asafa Powell was a tough opponent and friend of Usain Bolt throughout his time with Team Jamaica, and they both helped the country reach new heights. While the two-time world champion is confident that the 100-meter world record will never be broken, he is also hopeful that Noah Lyles will get close to the 200-meter world record.
The American athlete has shown a lot of potential since the 2022 World Championships, breaking the American record with a timing of 19.31 seconds, and based on his performance this season, the track world could see major development.
