AP
Usain Bolt reacts to spectators after winning the men's 100-metre final with a world record in the National Stadium yesterday.
Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor
BEIJING:
USAIN BOLT stunned 91,000 people at the Beijing National Stadium last night with a magnificent world record for the 100 metres, giving Jamaica its first ever gold medal in the event at the Olympic Games.
The win, in 9.69 seconds, a time which slashed three-hundredths of a second off his own world record, was the greatest individual performance by a Jamaican at the Games.
It put him on par with the wonderful relay-winning perfor-mance of Helsinki in 1952, in which the quartet of Arthur Wint, Les Laing, Herb McKenley and George Rhoden also won gold in world record time. Bolt's medal was Jamaica's first of the 2008 Games.
"I tried just to be relaxed and enjoy myself," Bolt said after the race. "I feel proud (to win gold medal) because that's what I came out here to do. I came out to prove that I am a champion. We had a lot of Caribbean guys in the final and so we proved that Caribbean sprinters are great. We are just stepping up the pace."
Bolt said he had only winning on his mind and had no thought of the world record when slowing down at the end.
"I did not come here to run a world record because I am already the world-record holder," he said in answer to a question from one of more than 50 journalists who tracked him every time he moved.
Celebration
The eye-popping time was all the more remarkable by the fact that Bolt dropped his hands, then beat his chest before easing across the finish line, leaving a crack field, including former world record holder Asafa Powell, well behind.
Wrapped in a large Jamaican flag, Bolt first celebrated with some dancehall moves before rushing into the arms of his mother, Jennifer Bolt, coach Glen Mills and local manager Norman Peart.
The 21-year-old was also hugged and kissed by a section of the largely Chinese crowd which was truly overawed by the awesome display of sprinting they had just witnessed.
Later, he received a call from Prime Minister Bruce Golding who offered his congratulations and told him he had made the country proud. The prime minister said the country was looking forward to his return.
Bolt was also congratulated by Sports Minister Olivia Grange who, after rushing down to the 'mixed zone' area, had to wait for more than an hour before she could warmly embrace the island's newest individual Olympic champion.
"Usain is just awesome, he is out of this world," Minister Grange said. "We had all the confidence in him and he has not let us down, We are on top of the world. He is special, really special. We have reached the peak tonight. We have outdone ourselves."
She added that an appropriate celebration would be held to honour Bolt's achievement.
The race itself was all about one man. Bolt was level with the field 50 metres out before he turned on a crippling overdrive which left the rest floundering.
Trinidad and Tobago's Richard Thompson was a surprise silver medallist in a personal best 9.89 with American Walter Dix running on to take third, also in a personal best 9.91. Both the silver and bronze medallists were congratulated by the sports minister.
World champion Tyson Gay, who is just back from injury, was fifth in semi-final two won by Powell and failed to advance.
The big disappointment in the final was Powell. The former world record holder who ran below his best again on the big occasion was fifth in 9.95.
He took the same position in the Athens final four years ago Powell was, however, quick to hail Bolt's run.
Tonight's action
Men
400m heats: Michael Blackwood, Ricardo Chamber, Sanjay Ayre (8:00 p.m.)
200m heats: Usain Bolt, Chris Williams, Marvin Anderson
(9:05 p.m.)
110m hurdles heats: Maurice Wignall, Richard Phillips
(10.10 p.m.)
Tomorrow's action
Men
200m second round: 7:05 a.m.
400m hurdles final: Danny McFarlane, Markino Buckley: 9:00 a.m.
Women
100m hurdles semis: 6:40 a.m.
400m hurdles semis: 7:45 a.m.
800m final: Kenia Sinclair - 8:45 a.m.
