Usain Bolt has won the men’s 100-meter track race at the 2012 London Olympics! And with a new Olympic record! 9.64 seconds! He held off a talented young rival in Yohan Blake in order to defend his position as the face of the sport.
There was some worry that Usain Bolt might be defeated by the newcomer, especially since he lost to him twice in the Jamaican Olympic trials. That anticipation made this race the premiere match-up of the 2012 London Olympics.
Bolt seemed vulnerable for the first time since he decimated the rest of the field at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He has been super human. Then he false started his way to disqualification at the 2011 World Championship and followed that up with injuries and the aforementioned losses in the trials.
Suddenly Yohan Blake was the favorite. The up-and-coming young star who would supplant Bolt. Didn’t happen.
Of course, if you live in America, you didn’t see it happen because instead of airing what may be the most exciting sporting event of the year NBC decided to go with horse jumping and Apollo Ohno talking about the London Eye.
Bolt wins Gold in the MEN’S 100m FINAL in 9.64 seconds! Of course NBC has equestrian event and commercials :-(((
— Michael Rass (@mikerass) August 5, 2012
“OK America, what sports are you most interested in seeing?” “Um, 100M Dash, swimming, gymnastics..” “Great, we won’t show you those live.”
— netw3rk (@netw3rk) August 5, 2012
Humans running>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Horses forced by humans to jump.
— netw3rk (@netw3rk) August 5, 2012
Still, for everyone outside of America this was a thrilling event. To see an athlete of Bolt’s quality at the top of his game, setting a new Olympic record is the very best part of these games. Some reports put the official time at 9.64 seconds, others at 9.63, but what everyone can agree on was that it was a thrilling race that Bolt once again dominated.
At least 2 meters between Usain Bolt and Blake, Bolt destroyed the rest of the field at
#London2012. Time rounded down to 9.63— Neal Mann (@fieldproducer) August 5, 2012
Bolt is known for shining in the brightest spotlight and it certainly seems he saved his best for the Olympics.
Usain Bolt runs at 31mph which sounds good, but if he hits a child there’s a 40% chance they’ll die.
— Capri Sun(@JoshPageee) August 5, 2012
This is an important fact everyone needs to know. I love you, internet. Too bad NBC doesn’t know that you exist.
After winning, Bolt took his signature victory stance:
The police near Olympic Stadium gave their own tribute to Bolt:
Yohan Blake got the silver and American runner Justin Gatlin, returning from a four-year doping ban, took bronze.