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Minus Usual Finesse, Bolt Runs Away With 100 Bolt Slips Between the Raindrops and Past Gatlin to Prevail in the 100
(about 5 hours later)
MOSCOW — It did not rank as the most scintillating of Usain Bolt’s many major victories in the 100 meters. It presumably will not be the story he will tell first when he is old and gray and long-retired one day in Jamaica. MOSCOW — It will not rank as the most irresistible of Usain Bolt’s many major victories in the 100 meters. It presumably will not be the gold medal story he will tell first when he is old and gray and long retired in Jamaica.
The stands in Luzhniki Stadium were not close to full at these world championships, not even for the biggest star in track and field. As Bolt and the other seven finalists prepared to settle into the blocks, the drizzle in Moscow turned to heavy rain. The time was not dazzling by his standards. The atmosphere — despite the lightning bolt that served as the perfect punctuation mark — frankly was not, either.
But Bolt, the Jamaican extrovert, has proved himself a sprinter for any weather and any time zone over the past five triumphant years, and although he would have to strain more than usual for this victory, he would reclaim the world 100-meter title he lost in 2011 after the false start heard round the world. The stands at Luzhniki Stadium were not close to full at these world championships, not even for Bolt, the biggest star in track and field. And as Bolt and the other seven finalists prepared to head for the starting blocks, the drizzle turned to heavy rain.
Pushed hard early and late Sunday by the American Justin Gatlin in the adjacent lane, Bolt pulled ahead for good with about 35 meters remaining and then sprinted all the way through the finish — his eyes fixed on the huge electronic scoreboard in front of him — to win in 9.77 seconds. But Bolt has proved himself an all-weather sprinter over the past five triumphant years, and although he had to strain more than usual for this victory, he reclaimed the world title he lost in 2011 after the false start heard around the world.
Gatlin, a former world 100-meter champion who has definitively rejoined the elite after a four-year ban for a doping violation, was second in 9.85 seconds with Bolt’s Jamaican teammate Nesta Carter third in 9.95 seconds. Pushed hard early and late Sunday night by the American Justin Gatlin in the adjacent lane, Bolt had to be all business after his clean start: pulling ahead for good with about 35 meters remaining and then sprinting through the finish — his eyes fixed on the video screen in front of him — to win in 9.77 seconds.
Bolt will now be an overwhelming favorite to sweep the sprints here again by winning his preferred race, the 200 meters. A third gold medal also looks very likely considering that the Jamaicans had four men in the 100-meter final Sunday, with Kemar Bailey-Cole finishing fourth and Nickel Ashmeade fifth. Gatlin, a former world and Olympic 100-meter champion who has definitively rejoined the elite after a four-year ban for a doping violation, was second in 9.85 seconds. Bolt’s Jamaican teammate Nesta Carter was third in 9.95 seconds.
But Bolt’s margin of dominance in the 100 appears to be narrowing. Though the track in Moscow appears to be quick, the slight headwind and rainy conditions were not ideal for the time of his life, and Sunday’s 9.77 was 19/100ths of a second slower than the world record of 9.58 seconds he set at the world championships in Berlin in 2009. “I cannot forget Daegu, because all you guys keep reminding me on my false start,” Bolt said, referring to the meet in South Korea. “But it was not a revenge for Daegu. I just came here to win this title.”
But since winning the 100 at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 by a margin of two-tenths of a second, the gap has now steadily narrowed with each major final. His margin over Gatlin Sunday was 8/100ths of a second. Bolt will be an overwhelming favorite to win more in Moscow, with his preferred race, the 200, still ahead. A third gold medal, in the 4x100, also looks quite likely given that the Jamaicans had four men in the 100-meter final Sunday, with Kemar Bailey-Cole finishing fourth and Nickel Ashmeade fifth.
Only 26, he is still very much in a sprinter’s prime but then perhaps the world asks too much of Bolt. He continues to do what matters most: win when the pressure is at its most intense. But Bolt’s margin for error in the 100 appears to be narrowing. Clearly the slight headwind and rainy conditions were not ideal for the time of his life Sunday: his 9.77 was his slowest winning time at an Olympics or world championships. It was also 19-hundredths of a second slower than the world record of 9.58 seconds he set in 2009 at the world championships in Berlin.
He has now won two Olympic titles and two world titles in the 100. This was perhaps his most subdued performance, both within and outside the race. “I wanted to do a better time but was not able to because of the weather,” Bolt said. “Not singing in the rain but running in the rain tonight.”
He still clowned around beforehand: pretending to open an umbrella and hold it aloft as he prepared to settle into the blocks. He also struck his usual Bolt victory pose after his lap of honor. But it all seemed more subdued than usual in the rain and with big blocks of seats empty in the stadium, which was no more than two-thirds full for what is usually regarded as the premier event of these championships. But since Bolt won the 100 at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 by a margin of two-tenths of a second, the gap between he and the field has steadily narrowed with each major final. His margin over Gatlin on Sunday was eight-hundredths of a second and came only weeks after Gatlin defeated Bolt for the first time, at a meet in Rome.
       Bolt, 26, is still in a sprinter’s prime, and he continues to do what matters most: win under great pressure and with everyone expecting it. He has now won two Olympic titles and two world titles in the 100.
Earlier, the Russians got their first gold medal of the championships with Aleksandr Ivanov winning the 20-kilometer race walk, but the Americans were the ones who dominated the undercard for the men’s 100. “He’s definitely a showman; he’s a gamer, and he’s the best out there,” Gatlin said. “Not only does he produce the best. He brings the best out of you.”
Decathlete Ashton Eaton and long jumper Brittney Reese both won world outdoor titles after winning gold at the London Olympics. Their success in Moscow was no given. Many a reigning Olympic champion did not make it here because of injury, including the Kenyan 800-meter runner David Rudisha, the British heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill and the Russian steeplechaser Yuliya Zaripova. This was not Bolt at his most flamboyant, however. He still clowned around and mugged for the television cameras beforehand: pretending to open an umbrella and hold it aloft as he prepared for the start.
He also struck his trademark Bolt victory pose after his lap of honor. But it all seemed more subdued than usual in the rain and with big blocks of seats empty at Luzhniki Stadium, which was no more than two-thirds full for what is usually regarded as the premier event of these championships.
Earlier, the Russians got their first gold medal of the championships with Aleksandr Ivanov winning the 20-kilometer race walk, but the Americans dominated the undercard for the men’s 100.
The decathlete Ashton Eaton and the long jumper Brittney Reese won world outdoor titles after winning gold medals at the London Olympics. Their success in Moscow was no given. Many a reigning Olympic champion did not make it here because of injury, including the Kenyan 800-meter star David Rudisha, the British heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill and the Russian steeplechaser Yuliya Zaripova.
Eaton and Reese had their bumps and bruises, too, with Eaton troubled by a hamstring strain and general fatigue.Eaton and Reese had their bumps and bruises, too, with Eaton troubled by a hamstring strain and general fatigue.
“I think it’s been a long three years,” Eaton said Saturday. “I was kicking my own tail in Daegu at the world championships and was kicking my own tail last year to be in really good shape and do great things, which I did. And then I tried, going into this year, to keep kicking my tail the same way in training and things like that and finally I’m here in August and I’m pretty exhausted.” A hip flexor injury limited Reese’s jumping earlier in the year, and she failed to land a clean jump in three attempts at the United States championships and made it to Moscow only because she had automatic entry as a reigning world champion.
A hip flexor injury limited Reese’s jumping earlier in the year, and she failed to land a clean jump in three attempts at the United States championships and only made it to Moscow because she had automatic entry as a reigning world champion. On Saturday, she had a cold and nearly failed to qualify for the final, but there has been no better long jumper and few better athletes under major-meet pressure than Reese in the last four years. Her second jump of 7.01 meters Sunday was 24 centimeters short of her season best but it ended up being what she needed for victory as Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria settled for silver with a best effort of 6.99. Okagbare, who is having a breakout season, may be making other trips to the podium here. She is also a medal threat in the 100 and the 200. Sunday’s two-centimeter margin was Reese’s smallest margin of victory in any major championships, and there now have been six such victories.
On Saturday, she struggled to qualify for the final, too, but there has been no better long jumper and few better athletes under major-meet pressure than Reese in the last four years. She has won the last three world outdoor titles, the last two world indoor titles and the Olympic gold medal. If she had been this dominant 30 years ago when track and field was a major sport in the United States, she might have been more celebrated.
Her second jump of 7.01 meters Sunday was 24 centimeters short of her season best but it ended up being — just barely — what she needed for victory as Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria settled for silver with a best effort of 6.99 meters. Ivana Spanovic of Serbia won the bronze medal with a jump of 6.82 meters. It will be intriguing to see if Eaton can make more significant inroads. He has charisma and already has the world records, setting the mark of 9,039 points at last year’s Olympic trials in his home city, Eugene, Ore. His 10-event total of 8,809 points in Moscow was well below that but was still a remarkable achievement.
Okagbare, who is having a breakout season, may be making other trips to the podium here. She is also a medal threat in the 100 and 200 meters. And if and when she develops something closer to proper long-jump technique, she should be able to give Reese plenty more trouble. Michael Schrader of Germany took the silver medal with 8,670 points; Damian Warner of Canada took the bronze with 8,512.
Sunday’s two-centimeter margin (or less than an inch) was Reese’s smallest margin of victory in any major championships, and there now have been six such victories. Mary Cain, a 17-year-old from Bronxville, N.Y., finished sixth in her first-round heat of the 1,500 meters on Sunday and advanced to the semifinal round at her first world championships.
She has won the last three world outdoor titles, the last two world indoor titles and the Olympic gold medal. If she had been this dominant 30 years ago when athletics was a major sport in the United States, she might have been a national icon. But this is a much lower-profile era for American athletes. In the women’s 10,000, the Ethiopian star Tirunesh Dibaba won her third world title at the distance to go with her victories in 2005 and in 2007.
It will be intriguing to see if Eaton can make more significant inroads. He has charisma and already has the world record in an event with a rich history in the United States, setting the mark of 9039 points at last year’s Olympic trials in his home city of Eugene, Oregon.
His 10-event total of 8809 points in Moscow was well below that but was still a remarkable achievement, and the embrace he shared with his longtime coach Harry Marra after the 1,500 meters was every bit as enthusiastic as the one they shared in London.
Michael Schrader of Germany took the silver medal with 8670 points; and Damian Warner of Canada took the bronze with 8512.
In the two other finals Sunday, Sandra Perkovic of Croatia put an exclamation point on her dominant season by winning the women’s discus with a throw of 67.99 meters with Melina Robert-Michon of France in second at 66.28 and Yarelys Barrios of Cuba in third at 64.96.
In the women’s 10,000 meters, Ethiopian star Tirunesh Dibaba won her third world title at the distance to go with her victories in 2005 and 2007.
Dibaba broke away — as is her custom — on the final lap to win in 30 minutes 43.35 seconds, with Gladys Cherono of Kenya second in 30:45.17 and Belaynesh Oljira of Ethiopia third in 30:46.98.Dibaba broke away — as is her custom — on the final lap to win in 30 minutes 43.35 seconds, with Gladys Cherono of Kenya second in 30:45.17 and Belaynesh Oljira of Ethiopia third in 30:46.98.
As Dibaba finished with a satisfied grin, the light rain must have felt like a reward on a warm, humid night. But the weather would deteriorate as the world’s fastest men arrived on the scene and as Bolt and Gatlin and the others stared down the blue track at their objective, small puddles formed in some of their lanes. As Dibaba finished with a satisfied grin, the rain must have felt like a reward on a warm, humid night. But the weather deteriorated, , and as Bolt and Gatlin and the others stared down the blue track at their objective, small puddles formed in some of their lanes.
They were soon off, however, despite Gatlin’s concerns that the race might be delayed. And after Bolt crossed the finish line, there was a lightning bolt flashing across the sky.
“I need to get that picture right now,” Bolt said later.
He has had much more memorable nights, but that photograph at least will be hard to top.