(Getty)
Usain Bolt is still the fastest man in the world.
The 29-year-old captured Olympic gold in the 100-meter dash for the third time in a row on Sunday night, making him the first man to ever three-peat in the event. Here’s video of his historic victory:
Unreal. Still the very best. #Bolt #JAM #100mFinal
It was hardly as fast of a final as many were expecting. Bolt’s winning time of 9.81 seconds wasn’t even the fastest this year, but it was still enough to capture his seventh Olympic gold medal in seven tries.
Justin Gatlin’s time of 9.89 seconds earned him silver and his third Olympic medal in the 100m, making him the first American to accomplish that feat, while Canada’s Andre De Grasse clocked personal best 9.91 to complete the podium.
Bolt didn’t get off to a great start, and it looked like Gatlin–his biggest rival over the last several years–was going to race his way towards gold, but the best sprinter of all-time went into an another gear at about the 50-meter mark, rocketing past the field so quickly that he had time to beat his chest at the finish line and still win comfortably.
ESPN Stats & Info put into perspective just how poor his start really was:
In his Gold medal performance, Usain Bolt’s reaction time of 0.155 seconds was 2nd-slowest of the 8 runners
Many, of course, were in awe of Bolt’s performance:
Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, is still the fastest man in the world. Justin Gatlin tried. They all tried. But he’s unbeatable.
I don’t know how fast Usain Bolt is cause he ain’t never challenged at the end. So I don’t know if he is running his hardest
Bolt, who was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring tear at the Jamaican Olympic Trials last month, has now won five of the last six world titles, with the only exception being the result of a false start and disqualification at the 2011 World Championships.
Or, in other words, the only person who has beaten him is himself:
There have now been 25 different men to run with Usain Bolt in a 100 gold-medal final at worlds or an Olympics.
All 25 have lost.
It’s an unreal run of transcendence for Bolt, but his job in Rio isn’t yet complete. With one dominant win in his pocket, he will now look to complete the unprecedented “triple-triple” when he takes on the 200 and the 4×100 relay later this week.
No matter what happens in those events, though, Bolt has made one thing very clear: He’s the best sprinter ever.
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Usain Bolt Makes History With 3rd Straight 100-Meter Gold Medal