Usain Bolt upsets American Gatlin to retain 100-meter world title

The Jamaican had struggled for form and fitness all season, stumbled his way through the semi-finals and got nowhere close to the times that his rival Justin Gatlin had been posting.

But, to be honest, why should any of us who still believe in the integrity of this sport bother to say more than just that Justin Gatlin, of the USA, crossed the line in 9.80 to win a silver medal.

Andre de Grasse of Canada and young American Trayvon Bromell were both awarded bronzes after finishing with times of 9.92secs. Bolt ran his season best of 9.79, Gatlin finished in 9.80.

With allegations of widespread doping dominating the build-up to this World Championships, the sport’s pantomime villain Gatlin’s showdown with Bolt was billed as a battle for clean athletics. Two lanes to his right, Gatlin was as good as flawless for most of the race, but for seven years now, there is no denying the greatest sprinter in history.

“If I had to lose to anyone, it’d be to this man here”, he said, pointing at Bolt.

When asked by BBC Sport about why people view Bolt’s win as a victory for athletics, he said: “For me I understand why (people think that) but I wanted to do it for myself”.

The Jamaican lived up to his billing as the saviour of athletics as he held off the challenge of two-time drug cheat Gatlin to win in 9.79 seconds.

The victory only builds the legend of Bolt for this was doubtless the most unexpected win for the world record holder and multiple world and Olympics gold medallist.

Usain Bolt celebrates the way Usain Bolt always does.

Bolt kept on powering along in celebration, and when he returned, Gatlin gave him a warm hug.

Richards, who won gold at the Commonwealth Games, showed that Jamaica is also making strides off the track, earning his medal-winning mark on his third attempt before he was overtaken by Kovacs and Storl.

Bolt by contrast had looked out of sorts pretty much all year, needing to perform a Houdini act just to get out of his semi-final. As they say in boxing, somebodies O had to go, and while the winning time was nothing special the occasion certainly was.

This was Bolt’s fastest time of the year and the win took his tally of individual global titles to 10. Bolt’s edge over Gatlin was ten times faster than that.

“On the last five meters, I kind of stumbled a bit”, said Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the 100.

The 33-year-old American, a world and Olympic champion before his four-year doping ban and the rise of Bolt, will perhaps regret dipping for the line quite so far out, a move which disrupted his rhythm and reduced his speed.