Sport

Thunder Bolt strikes to claim World honours

Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates winning the gold medal in the Men's 100 metres final at the IAAF World Championships at the Beijing National Stadium, China
Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates winning the gold medal in the Men's 100 metres final at the IAAF World Championships at the Beijing National Stadium, China Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates winning the gold medal in the Men's 100 metres final at the IAAF World Championships at the Beijing National Stadium, China

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Usain Bolt, who has reputedly carried the sport on his shoulders since he first sprinted to Olympic glory in the same Bird’s Nest stadium seven years ago, came to its rescue once again on Sunday.

The Jamaican defied the odds to defeat arch rival Justin Gatlin and take the 100m gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

Bolt, the white knight with the squeaky clean reputation, overcame Gatlin, the man who had served two doping suspensions.

At least three of the other finalists, Bolt’s compatriot Asafa Powell and US athletes Tyson Gay and Mike Rodgers, had also returned from suspensions.

Gatlin started hot favourite for the final following an unimpressive run by Bolt in the semi-finals after he had literally stumbled through his semi-final after slipping in his blocks.

But the native New Yorker flew to victory with apparent demonic power in the second semi-final recording the fastest time of the day.

Gatlin started equally impressively in the final but on this occasion the previously lumbering man from Trelawny Bay transformed himself into the well-oiled racing machine we had come to know and possibly even love.

Under pressure for the first time this season, Gatlin wilted in the final stages as Bolt clawed his way level. It went to a photo but that was only a formality as Bolt claimed victory in a season’s best of 9.79 seconds.

Gatlin was second a mere one hundredth back while Canadian Andre de Grasse and 20-year-old American TrayvonBromell shared to bronze medal spot in 9.92 seconds.

“I’ve been struggling all season and it took me a while getting it together, so I’m happy,” said Bolt after his had completed his usual exuberant celebrations.

Ireland’s Mark English made it through the first round heats of the 800m albeit with a piece of luck. The Letterkenny man finished fifth but went through as one of the fastest losers.

However, his run came to an end yesterday with another fifth place in third semi-final recording 1:45.55 which was to prove only a quarter of a second outside a qualifying spot as a fastest loser.

“It was much easier than yesterday because I was focusing on running splits, trying to run 52 flat [through 400m],” commented English. “So I was just off it, I tied up a small bit on that last 50 but I don’t think, given the injury I had this season, I was going to do any more than that.

“It feels good, sometimes you’re judged on whether you made it through each round, and it’s judged as a failure if you fail at the semi-final stage, but if you came 11th in the marathon it’d be a great race, so that’s a good run.”

Thomas Barr can also hold his head high too. After an easy qualification from the qualifying rounds of the 400m hurdles, the Waterford man yesterday took fourth place in the semi-final.

His time of 48.71 was only six-hundredths outside his own national record but unfortunately not quick enough to advance as a fastest loser to Tuesday’s final.

Not so impressive was Alex Wright who was disqualified from the 20km walk after receiving three yellow cards.

Kerry O’Flaherty is one of four Irish athletes in action today. The Newcastle athlete joins Michelle Finn and Sara Treacy in the heats of the 3000m steeplechase at 2:45am this morning.

Around the same time, American recruit to Irish colours Tori Peña tries to make it through the preliminary round of the pole vault for the first time at a major championships. See results.