Aug 17, 2009, 11:39 GMT
Berlin - Now we all know what Usain Bolt could have done in Beijing but he saved it for a Sunday in Berlin to follow in the footsteps of Jesse Owens.
Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates winning the 100m final at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany, 16 August 2009. EPA/KAY NIETFELD EPA/KAY NIETFELD
Bolt redefined human speed in general and the 100 metres race in particular when he improved the event's world record by the biggest ever margin of .11 seconds to 9.58 seconds for the world title.
The 22-year-old Jamaican lowered the mark of 9.69 seconds from the same August 16 last year with which he won the Olympic title.
Bolt eased up in that race some 20m before the finish line, leaving the world to wonder until Sunday what he could have done if he had run hard until the line.
'He ran the best race I have ever seen,' said Bolt's American rival Tyson Gay in utter admiration.
Gay was a first-hand witness of the greatest sprint ever, but his 9.71 seconds to become the second-fastest man over the distance appeared pedestrian compared to Bolt. Former world record holder Asafa Powell was third in 9.85 seconds.
'It showed he can take the human body to another level,' said Gay, who is ready for the fight and will not throw in the towel.
'I will keep on running,' he insisted. 'I think I can do that one day.'
Bolt was almost half a second faster than Owens' hand-timed 10.3 for the 100m win in one of four gold medals for the American legend in the Olympic stadium at the 1936 Olympics.
'I am very pleased to be part of this,' said world athletics supremo Lamine Diack. 'I have lived my life with Jesse Owens' story in my mind. Now we have this new era.'
Originally a 200m runner, Bolt only added the 100m seriously last year, running a first world record 9.72 seconds in May 2008 before raising the bar at the Olympics.
Gay was missing in the Olympic final as he limped out in the semis, but this time around the American's presence in their first duel of the year pushed Bolt to another record.
And Bolt doesn't expect the rivalry with Gay and Powell to end soon, which only does him good as he tries to further enhance his status.
'It is getting there. But two seasons isn't enough, these guys will be coming again,' said Bolt.
'I was definitely ready for the world record and I did it. I am proud of myself. This is a big moment in history,' said Bolt, who turns 23 next week.
'I did not think I could run 0.1 seconds faster than my own world record. But for me, anything is possible.'
Bolt ran the record despite not being in the form of Beijing after a car crash hampered his early season buildup. And he did it with the same carefree attitude (and chicken nugget lunch) like in Beijing.
'I train all year. I know what I have to do. So I can have all the fun before the race. I just refocus when the 'on your marks' comes,' said Bolt who flirted and joked with TV cameras and the crowd.
He did so in the news conference as well, when asked whether he could run as fast on an old cinder track like Owens used.
'We are talking old school ... We are too fast for that, we would break a leg,' said Bolt.
Unlike Owens, Bolt then received a 100,000 world record cheque and 60,000 dollars for the world title, which suits him just fine.
'The competition with Tyson and Asafa is good for athletics. And they try to get more sponsors so that we can enjoy life,' Bolt quipped.
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