Sunday, June 01, 2008

Usain Bolt: WFH

Like lightning out of nowhere, Usain Bolt is now the world's fastest man.

The Jamaican sprinter, who doesn't even consider the 100 meters his best race, set the world record last night with a time of 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, .02 seconds faster than the old record held by his countryman, Asafa Powell.

Bolt was using the 100 for "speed work" and to avoid having to run the more grueling 400, when, suddenly, he ran the world's second-fastest time a few weeks ago at 9.76. Even then, he said he wasn't sure if he would give up the 400 meters for the 100 for the Beijing Olympics.

Hard to imagine he has any choice now.

Springing from the starting block and unfurling his lanky frame — listed at 6 feet 4, but probably more like 6-5 and, either way, considered too tall for this kind of speed work — he created a big-time gap between himself and Tyson Gay at about the halfway point, then routed him to the finish line.

"I wasn't really looking for a world record, but it was there for the taking," Bolt said.

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