Usain Bolt Beats Justin Gatlin To Claim 100m Gold At Rio 2016 Olympics

Usain Bolt defeated Justin Gatlin to become the first Olympian ever to win the 100m three times in a row with a time of 9.81 seconds.



Bolt, who claimed gold in Beijing and London in the previous two Olympic games, sent the fans wild in Rio by recreating his magic to assert himself as one of athletics’ greatest ever Olympians.

Coming up against Gatlin in a rematch of their incredible 100m final at last summer’s World Championships, Bolt satisfied any doubts to defeat the 34-year-old American sprinter who has previously served a two-year doping ban.

Billed as ‘good vs evil’ before the race, Bolt went into the final in confident mood after cantering to an easy victory in the semi-final with a time of 9.86.

Gatlin, who entered the stadium to a chorus of boos, started the race well and led for a large majority before Usain Bolt powered through in his final Olympic 100m final.

His rival, Justin Gatlin posted a less impressive 9.94 seconds to finish in second place and Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse claimed bronze.

There had been worries that the 29-year-old could miss out after suffering a grade one tear in his hamstring at the national trials earlier in the summer.

Bolt, who has already confirmed that the 2016 Rio Olympics will be his final games, hinted that his coach is already trying to persuade him to compete at the 2020 event.

Usain Bolt became the first person to win three straight Olympic 100-meter titles, his amazing time of 9.81 seconds was good enough for his seventh overall Olympic gold.

The Jamaican still his the relay and 200m to compete in during Rio.
‘It was brilliant. I am really happy, though I expected to go faster,’ Bolt said.
‘I am just happy that I won and that’s the key thing,’ the Jamaican added.

‘After the semi-final I felt extremely good. I wanted to run faster but with the turnaround time, we normally have two hours, but we had one hour 20 minutes, it was challenging. This is what we train for. I told you guys I was going to do it. Stay tuned, two more to go.’

Bolt, who was greeted by chants of ‘Bolt! Bolt! Bolt!’, was asked about the boos his rival Gatlin was subject to.

‘I was surprised – it was the first time I have ever come into a stadium and they actually booed somebody… but for me I didn’t care about that,’ Bolt said.

Usian Bolt Career Achievement

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing – 9.69, world record

2009 World Championships, Berlin – 9.58, world record

2012 Olympic Games, London – 9.63, Olympic record

2013 World Championships, Moscow – 9.77

2015 World Championships, Beijing – 9.79

2016 Olympic Games, Rio – 9.81