World Athletics Championship (spoilers)

[Ximenean]

100m men's final

Usain Bolt just won the 100m in a time of 9.58 seconds. I don't think anybody has ever taken more than a tenth of a second off the 100m record before, their own record or otherwise. The guy who came second ran 9.71. Bolt always looks like a grown-up running in a kid's race. He appeared to be going for it a little more than usual on this occasion, but he still had time to look over at the clock as he approached the line. They were saying during the Olympics that he could have run 9.52 if he had tried, and all of a sudden that doesn't seem so far-fetched.

[Cisco]

I just saw this. This guy is going to be celebrated for many, many decades to come. He is on another level. Wow.

[Busy Scissors]

That was men against boys. Tyson Gay just set the all time American 100m record and wasn't even contesting things. Amazing.

See Jessica Ennis won the heptathelon in style - brought it home with a nice win in the 800.

[drm]

It was amusing how Ato Bolden's partner kept trying to play up the duel between Bolt and Gay and Bolden kept shooting him down.

Other Guy: What does Gay have to do to defend his 2007 World Championship

Bolden: Well he needs to have the race of his life and Bolt needs to have a bad day.

The NBC producers must've wanted to shoot him.

[Cisco]

Tyson Gay seems like such an incredibly nice guy that I always want him to win, but it seems pretty clear that he's got nothing for Bolt.

[Ají de Gallina]

Bolt's time just makes no sense...have they checked if he's human?

[Chez Guevara]

Bolden: Well he needs to have the race of his life and Bolt needs to have a bad day.Gay must be seriously pissed off.

If he knew, going into the race, that he was in 9.71 form then he must have had some hope that Bolt might underperform, thus letting him (Gay) through for a win. Instead, Bolt improves by 0.11 of a second.

I've heard that Bolt fancies himself to run 9.4 at some stage in the future. He's only 22. How fast can he get?

[Cisco]

Gay must be seriously pissed off.

If he knew, going into the race, that he was in 9.71 form then he must have had some hope that Bolt might underperform, thus letting him (Gay) through for a win. Instead, Bolt improves by 0.11 of a second.

Considering Bolt ran 9.69 at the Olympics without even trying, Gay must've known, (with apologies to Matt Hughes), he had a chance, but not a very good one.

[RickJay]

Wow. Just, wow. 9.58. Absolutely ridiculous.

Bolt doesn't even look like he's trying as hard as the other guys, and he simply wastes them.

I second the motion to have him checked for bionic components. It looked like CGI. I mean, we've seen some pretty incredible sprinters these past 20-25 years or so - Carl Lewis, Donovan Bailey, Asafa Powell, hell, let's not forget Ben Johnson, who was cheating but he was one hell of a sprinter. Bolt is completely out of anyone's league. He broke his own record by .11? That's preposterous.

To answer the OP's question, since electronic timing the previous record for breaking the record was of course Ben Johnson, whose 9.83 broke the record by a tenth, but a few days later we learned Johnson had enough Stanozolol in his system that he might have given the field at the Belmont a run for their money. .11 is unprecedented.

Bolt has said he thinks he can get to 9.4. What a ridiculous, impossible number; of course, it's the stuff of science fiction and hallucinations. I figure he'll do it in 2012. I think he'll run a 9.39. You have to feel sorry for Tyson Gay, who today ran a time that would have won every single 100m race that human beings have ever held, except the one he was in.

I note the headline story on ESPN.com is... uh, a golf result. Not even a major. Jesus.

[runner pat]

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I'm at a loss for words.

[jk1245]

Bolt is like Wilt Chamberlain when he first came into the NBA, someone's who's just physically 30 years ahead of everyone else. 6'5" people shouldn't be able to run that fast. If they can, they have such an advantage due to their stride length, that the more normal sized sprinters don't have a chance (Bolt took 33 strides in this 9.58 race. A normal 100m runner will take 40-45). Bolt is essentially running a 95 meter race. Maybe even shorter, since he appears to have long legs, even for someone of his height.

I think Bolt will get under 9.5 for sure, and will possibly get near (or-gulp - under 9.40).

Course, the one unknown here is PEDs. Given track and field's history, that has to be considered. I hope not. Hope it's just that we're seeing a once in a century athlete.

ETA: The 200m final is on Aug 20. Any predictions? I'll say 19.27

[mhendo]

You have to feel sorry for Tyson Gay, who today ran a time that would have won every single 100m race that human beings have ever held, except the one he was in.Actually, it would have also placed him second in the Olympic Games 100m final last year. Bolt ran 9.69 in that race, and Gay ran 9.71 today.

[flodnak]

In addition to the obligatory drug test, can we check this guy's DNA, just to make sure he's actually from our planet? :eek:

[RickJay]

Actually, it would have also placed him second in the Olympic Games 100m final last year. Bolt ran 9.69 in that race, and Gay ran 9.71 today.
I realized my error later on. My mistake.

[Lantern]

Here is the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1JQFxfLMM)of the race. The best bit is around the 1:05 mark where you see a slow-mo of both Gay and Bolt. Gay is clearly straining every muscle while Bolt is looking around as if he is wondering where everyone else is.:D

[Cisco]

Here is the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1JQFxfLMM)of the race. The best bit is around the 1:05 mark where you see a slow-mo of both Gay and Bolt. Gay is clearly straining every muscle while Bolt is looking around as if he is wondering where everyone else is.:D

Unbelievable. Bolt either deserves an Oscar, or he was barely even trying. I'm gonna say right now that this kid will run 9.4 or better before his career is over.

[DSYoungEsq]

I note the headline story on ESPN.com is... uh, a golf result. Not even a major. Jesus.

um, the PGA Championship is a major. ;)

[Taber]

But has he raced Chad Ochocinco yet?

[Really Not All That Bright]

I've heard that Bolt fancies himself to run 9.4 at some stage in the future. He's only 22. How fast can he get?
Leroy Burrell peaked at 27; Carl Lewis at 30. Burrell probably could have gone a bit faster than he did (9.85 in '94) but had a bunch of injuries after 1995. Linford Christie peaked at 33, but since he was cheating it's difficult to say whether he would have ever gone so quickly otherwise.

[The Other Jeffrey Lebowski]

What Bolt is doing is revolutionary (Chamberlain is an apt comparison), more important to his sport (in my mind at least) than what Michael Phelps did last year, and I would not be surprised to see taller sprinters emerge in years to come.

[RickJay]

Leroy Burrell peaked at 27; Carl Lewis at 30. Burrell probably could have gone a bit faster than he did (9.85 in '94) but had a bunch of injuries after 1995. Linford Christie peaked at 33, but since he was cheating it's difficult to say whether he would have ever gone so quickly otherwise.
Donovan Bailey peaked at 28. Maurice Greene peaked at 26. Ben Johnson, for what it's worth, peaked at 26. I don't think there's any doubt the true greats peak in their late 20s.

I stand by my prediction. 9.39 in 2012.

DSYoung: Oops.

[wolfman]

If you get Ohio State or Florida to time him he might break 8 seconds. ;)

[Cisco]

Maurice Greene peaked at 26.
What? Mo Greene still hasn't peaked . . . if you ask Mo Greene :D.

[amarone]

Is the event on US TV anywhere?

[Colophon]

Here is the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By1JQFxfLMM)of the race. The best bit is around the 1:05 mark where you see a slow-mo of both Gay and Bolt. Gay is clearly straining every muscle while Bolt is looking around as if he is wondering where everyone else is.:D
Watch the slow-motion of the start (about 1:19). It looks like Bolt almost stumbled or dragged his left foot on the ground right on the first stride. And he still ran 9.58.

[fiddlesticks]

Is the event on US TV anywhere?

Versus (the Tour de France channel) for the rest of the week and then NBC on Saturday and Sunday.

I figure Bolt matched what he could have ran at Beijing in the final had he not started showboating. I was expecting a 9.5 something but it still was amazing to see the time on screen just as Tom Hammond screamed it...reminded me of my reaction to Ben Johnson's superhuman time in Seoul. Hope its just yams in Usain's case. :D

[Cheesesteak]

I'm amazed that Bolt can manage to get out of the blocks with all those shorter runners. I would expect a tall lanky guy to be behind early, and need his longer stride to catch up. Bolt is right there at the front 20 meters into the race.

[Ximenean]

Bolt took 33 strides in this 9.58 race. A normal 100m runner will take 40-45.
I counted 41 strides for Bolt, 45 for Gay...

[Chez Guevara]

I'm amazed that Bolt can manage to get out of the blocks with all those shorter runners. I would expect a tall lanky guy to be behind early, and need his longer stride to catch up. Bolt is right there at the front 20 meters into the race.There's a revealing piece in this morning's Times giving a breakdown of the fastest ten metre segments ever run in the 100m.

It goes like this:

0-10m 1.67 sec (Kim Collins 2004)

10-20m 1.00 sec (Bruny Surin 1999, Maurice Greene 2001, Usain Bolt 2008)

20-30m 0.89 sec (Greene 1999)

30-40m 0.85 sec (Bolt 2009)

40-50m 0.84 sec (Carl Lewis 1991, Frankie Fredericks 1996, Greene 1999)

50-60m 0.82 sec (Greene 1999, 2000)

60-70m 0.81 sec (Bolt 2009)

70-80m 0.80 sec (Bolt 2009)

80-90m 0.83 sec (Bolt 2009)

90-100m 0.83 sec (Bolt 2009)

Therefore the fastest 100m never run, if you like, comes out at 9.34 secs.

While Bolt might have some difficulty matching the time for Collins' first 10 metres, other factors such as improvement with age from 22 up to his late 20s, a quicker track, and maybe a more helpful tailwind might conceivably give Bolt an opportunity to get near 9.34.

Remarkable.

[Cisco]

60-70m 0.81 sec (Bolt 2009)

70-80m 0.80 sec (Bolt 2009)

80-90m 0.83 sec (Bolt 2009)

90-100m 0.83 sec (Bolt 2009)

So is he hitting the brakes or running out of gas?

[Chez Guevara]

So is he hitting the brakes or running out of gas?I dunno, but I certainly think he needs to stop taking it easy from 40m to 60m.

[Lantern]

Is there a 10m breakup of Bolt's 9.58 race available somewhere? That would give us a better idea of what he is capable of. It appears that breaking 9.5 is within his reach which would be an absolutely astonishing achievement. And you have to wonder how long it will take for the rest of humanity to catch up. Bolt is around 15 tenths of a second ahead of the field and historically it would require around 15 years to shave the record by that much. But that process isn't linear and the world record progression (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_100_metres_world_record_progression)shows a long period of a couple of decades where the record was stuck in the 9.9's. Whatever final record Bolt sets could last for several decades.

[Chez Guevara]

From the IAAF (http://berlin.iaaf.org/mm/document/development/research/05/31/54/20090817073528_httppostedfile_analysis100mmenfinal_bolt_13666.pdf) (PDF).

Reaction time t10 t20 t30 t40 t50 t60 t70 t80 t90 t100
Bolt 0,146 1,89 2,88 3,78 4,64 5,47 6,29 7,10 7,92 8,75 9,58

Bolt's split times for his ten segments of the Berlin 100m final are therefore as follows:

1.89
0.99
0.90
0.86
0.83
0.82
0.81
0.82
0.83
0.83
-----
9.58
-----

I note a couple of small differences here from the Times figures quoted upthread. The IAAF has Bolt slower by 0.01 from 30-40m, and slower by 0.02 from 70-80m. Because the newspaper article doesn't give all of his split times for the race, it is unclear where this 0.03 shortfall is rectified in the IAAF statistics.

[Gorsnak]

So is he hitting the brakes or running out of gas?

I believe 100m runners are all slowing down over the final 30m. It's just some slow down more than others. Or so I've heard commentators say numerous times.

[SCSimmons]

Late to the thread ... But this was so exciting and shocking, and I can't believe how relatively little media coverage it's getting. This is one of the most amazing sports accomplishments ever. I didn't even see it live--I had it on TV, but I was doing other things at that moment, and didn't feel the need to watch a race that was such a foregone conclusion (victor-wise). But I heard it from the next room, and the time announcement went through my body like an electric shock. "Did he say 9.5 something?" I asked my kids--who, of course, weren't listening, so I had to go in and listen to five minutes of analysis before they finally replayed the race. What an incredible performance!

[amarone]

Bit of a hijack, but I don't want to start a new thread. I notice that a lot of the American athletes are NCAA champions. Athletics is a big money sport these days, particularly in Europe. Do the NCAA athletes participate in Europe but not take money, or is there some dispensation allowing them to earn prize money? Or do they not take part in the European money events?

[Lantern]

Why would 100m sprinters slow down at the end? I thought fatigue didn't play any role over that distance. I am not an expert but it did appear that Bolt was relaxing just a little bit in the final stretches of this race. Or at least not giving it his full effort; understandable since he was clearly winning.

Looking at those numbers, if Bolt could maintain a 0.81 time over the last 20m, he could shave .04 seconds. The big scope for improvement of course comes from that first 10m where he is a full 0.22 below the best, though of course his size makes it highly unlikely he could ever match Collins. However if he can shave just .05 in the first 10m and a total of .04 in the last 20m that would be enough to break the 9.50 barrier.

[Chez Guevara]

Why would 100m sprinters slow down at the end? I thought fatigue didn't play any role over that distance. I am not an expert but it did appear that Bolt was relaxing just a little bit in the final stretches of this race. Or at least not giving it his full effort; understandable since he was clearly winning.These sports scientists (http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/08/beijing-2008-men-100m-race-analysis.html) seem to know what they are talking about.

This is an analysis of the Beijing 100 metres final. The author states that a sprinter 'typically hits peak somewhere between 50 and 60m, but then slows progressively. Bolt's huge victory [in Beijing] was created thanks to his incredible 50m stint between 40m and 90m, where he never dropped below 42km/hour'.

Bolt's split times for Berlin show him hitting peak between 60 and 70m, and then falling only by 0.2 over the final 30m.

The IAAF link (post #33) also shows the Berlin splits for bronze medallist Asafa Powell. These come out at:

1.87
1.03
0.92
0.88
0.85
0.84
0.84
0.85
0.86
0.90
-----
9.84
-----

Powell peaks between 50 and 60m, maintains that for 10m, and then slows by 0.6 over the final 30m. I'm confident that analysis of any championship 100m race would reveal a similar pattern to that exhibited by Bolt and Powell, some slowing more than others in the final 30m.

Bolt looked a little tired to me after the 200m semis last night, and he told the interviewer that much. I don't think he'll shave much off his world record today - maybe he'll restrict himself to lowering it by a couple of hundredths.

[Chez Guevara]

I don't think he'll shave much off his world record today - maybe he'll restrict himself to lowering it by a couple of hundredths.My mistake.

Clearly, Bolt decided to opt for symmetry. Having lowered the 100m world record by 0.11, he thought he'd do the same to the 200m world record.

Difficult to know what else to say, really. He's just on a different planet to any other sprinter who ever lived.

[Cheesesteak]

If he wanted symmetry, he'd have lowered the 200m time by 0.22 seconds.


Slacker.

[Busy Scissors]

His agent needs to have a word - tell him to take a leaf out of that pole vaulter's book - 0.01 sec at a time Usain, you need to make a living mate.

[The Other Jeffrey Lebowski]

Sergei Bubka?

[ekweizn]

No discussion of Caster Semenya, women's 800 meter world champion?

[ShibbOleth]

I think Bolt has a sub 19 second 200 within his reach.

On a different note, watching the women's high jump tonight was an interesting study in style and personalities.

[Busy Scissors]

No discussion of Caster Semenya, women's 800 meter world champion? It seems like a clusterF, that's for sure - IAAF announcing the gender testing issue just prior to her running the final. There's some good discussion on the matters in hand so to speak on the science in sport blog Chez Guevara linked to above. It's been quite funny hearing some commentators talk about it, obviously failing to comprehend just what the problem is here. It takes how long to work out whether she's a man or a woman, five months ?!?

One thing that did strike me about the sex-determination procedure is that if it truly is so involved, and requires a triangulation of opinion between a geneticist, gynaecologist, pharmacologist etc., doesn't that open the door to generally query the 'sex' of any female power athlete? Every woman lining up in the 1 and 200m is 'unusually' muscled - that's why they're athletes. e.g. say a female sprinter produces unusually high levels of testosterone, almost to the level of a man - is a gender investigation warranted? It seems if the IAAF are prepared to acknowledge sex as such a multi-faceted and complex phenomenon then it could be a potential can of worms for them.

[Sleel]

Why would 100m sprinters slow down at the end? I thought fatigue didn't play any role over that distance.

Phosphocreatinine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphocreatine) threshold. At somewhere between 7–9 seconds, depending on the athlete and training, the switch from purely anaerobic metabolism to utilizing glycogen starts. In the longer 400 m sprint, the second 100 m is the fastest of the race because the athlete is already at full speed and glycolitic metabolism is in full effect.

[gonzomax]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-track-world-championships21-2009aug21,0,3053942.story
He dropped the 200 by .11. He is in a rut.
Nowadays ,I can not help being suspicious.

[Mahaloth]

Wow, 19.19?

Amazing.

[Lantern]

The most fascinating rivalry in sprinting today is between Bolt(100) and Bolt(200). Traditionally the 100m winner is considered the "fastest man" but sometimes the 200m is actually run at a faster pace; for example when Michael Johnson smashed the record some years back. In Beijing Bolt's 19.30 was faster than his 9.69. Here Bolt(100) got his revenge and his 9.58 is just a touch faster than his 19.19.

[kongrit]

I just saw this.

[Cisco]

The most fascinating rivalry in sprinting today is between Bolt(100) and Bolt(200). Traditionally the 100m winner is considered the "fastest man" but sometimes the 200m is actually run at a faster pace; for example when Michael Johnson smashed the record some years back. In Beijing Bolt's 19.30 was faster than his 9.69. Here Bolt(100) got his revenge and his 9.58 is just a touch faster than his 19.19.

Lol!

[Chez Guevara]

Course, the one unknown here is PEDs. Given track and field's history, that has to be considered. I hope not. Hope it's just that we're seeing a once in a century athlete.I'd be surprised if this factor wasn't at the back of everybody's mind, if it isn't at the front.

We've got two choices really. Believe in him, but feel stupid later if he isn't running clean, or assume from the outset that the guy is on something or other. I'll take the first option.

Jamaica's 400m coach is one Bert Cameron, former world champion over that distance. He fancies Bolt to step up to one lap in at some time in the future. Bolt himself doesn't like 400m, but he has allegedly promised Cameron that he will do the distance, and run 42.5 into the bargain. The current world record is held by Michael Johnson at 43.18.

[Colophon]

Here are the official timing photos of Bolt's 100m (http://berlin.iaaf.org/gallery/photofinish/photo=M_100_f_1/popup.html?iframe) and 200m (http://berlin.iaaf.org/gallery/photofinish/photo=M_200_f_1/popup.html?iframe) world records.

A couple of things I noticed: one, Bolt managed to adopt incredibly similar positions while corssing the line in both races, (albeit with the opposite foot on the ground). He even managed to plant a foot right on the line for that comedy giant-clown-shoe effect. :)

Two, in the 100m final, 7 of the 8 athletes finished sub-10 seconds. (the 6th and 7th had their times rounded up to 10.00 though). Has that ever happened before in a 100m race?

[Colophon]

And while I'm on the topic of photo finishes, here's (http://berlin.iaaf.org/images/photofinish/3658/m_110h_f_1.jpg) the 110m hurdles photo. Tough one to split, especially as Trammell (in second place) has his head covering his torso.

[Dead Badger]

Oh hey, thanks for those - I love the finish camera shots. That's really cool they put them online. Didn't realise they round the times up, either; Bolt's 9.58 is more of a 9.572 by the looks of it. Mental.

It seems silly that Bolt, probably the best man at running away there has ever been, appears so nice you'd like him to stick around. Maybe he should start doing whole laps.

[Dead Badger]

I just noticed the honking great stitches they had to put in the 200m photo so Bolt would be on the same page as the rest of the athletes. It jumps straight from 19.3 to about 19.8. I repeat: mental.

[Colophon]

Yep, I love looking at the photo finish shots as well. The offical site (http://berlin.iaaf.org/results/racedate=08-20-2009/bydate.html) has links to them when you click on the results each day. I must admit I missed the blue dotted lines first where chunks were cut out of the photo - I thought "I'm sure Bolt won by further than that..." :smack:

[Colophon]

And yes, times are rounded up, but if it's dead on the "zero" thousandth then it stays down. Bolt's time looks like a 19.190 to me. (The electronic clock initially stopped on 19.20.)