Man, this makes me wonder what Asafa could of run if he did not get injured. Seriously, how much did he actually slow down???
Yes everyone listen to these interviews.
Gay: “Drummond is trying to help me go into the race and win. He’s going to come up with the strategies and the plan and execution to help me prepare for the race” oh boy:rolleyes:
At their best Asafa has to tools to beat Bolt I don’t think Gay has.
The “tools” being used by these two runners appear to be the same. Since when has running under 9.9 become so easy?
Great interviews, everyone should watch them.
It looks like Bolt has gained some substantial weight, maybe it’s just the pictures. From just looking at them I wouldn’t be surprised if he was over 200.
This stuff is what American’s should get to see on TV. I always enjoy the short story segments they do during the Olympics. Always heart-warming and motivating.
Asafa still is faster than anyone 0-30 else, once he develops the next phases with more consistency Bolt WR won’t last.
Assuming that Bolt doesn’t continue to improve in different aspects of his race, specifically 0-30…
This is a low quality camcorder video from near the start line, but it has a decent view of the first 20 metres.
True…now if Bolt could start like Asafa than no one could beat him.
My God, Bolt blew him up out of the blocks. Hey Drummond, can we get some help with the starts:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
What are the chances that Bolt has reached the ever elusive .82 split?
Pretty damn good I would think.
Questionable. Asafa ran 0.83 three times in his 9.74, and cruised through the last 7 strides. Bolt’s start looked very good in that race, and since he ran through the line, he probably would have been behind Asafa at the 80m mark.
Not much difference between 0-10m. Bolt created same space 10-30m.
By Eddie Pells
NEW YORK May 31 AP - Like a bolt out of nowhere, Usain Bolt is the world’s fastest man.
The Jamaican sprinter, who doesn’t even consider the 100 metres his best race, set the world record with a time of 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix, 0.02 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 gruelling 400, when, suddenly, he ran the world's second-fastest time last month at 9.76. Even then, he said he wasn't sure if he would give up the 400 metres for the 100 for the Beijing Olympics. Hard to imagine he has any choice now. Unfurling his lanky frame - listed at 1.93 metres (6-foot-4), but probably more like 1.95 (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. Gay, the best sprinter in America, finished in 9.85. Within moments of crossing the finish line, the 21-year-old from Kingston was hoisting the Jamaican flag and a crowd with hundreds of Jamaican fans was going wild. Just coming here, knowing a lot of Jamaicans were here giving me their support, it meant a lot,’’ Bolt said. I just wanted to give them what they wanted.'' But who could have expected this? Bolt has long been considered one of his country's top, up-and-coming sprinters, but his height and running style seemed to make him much more suited for the 200 and 400. Like so many who compete in the 100, Bolt had lots of work to do with his push out of the blocks. He doesn't consider himself a true pro at that. And after a bad false start by the field - the second gun didn't go off until the runners were 20 metres down the track - this simply didn't seem like a night for world records. But it was. He ran a perfect race,’’ Gay said. I've got to take my hat off to him.'' An awesome athlete,’’ said Shawn Crawford, who finished sixth and witnessed history from two lanes inside of Bolt.
``The time shows it.’’
This marked the first time the record had been set in the United States since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, when Donovan Bailey ran 9.84.
A lot is often said about Olympic trials in the United States - that given the depth of the roster, it can be an even better meet than the actual Olympics.
But face it, the highlight of the pre-Olympic calendar could now be the Jamaican nationals at the end of June, when Bolt and Powell should square off.
Powell, who set the mark of 9.74 last September in Italy, is overcoming a chest injury but is expected to be healthy soon.
Also at the Jamaican nationals will be Veronica Campbell-Brown, who won the women’s 100 on Saturday in 10.91, the fastest time of 2008.
NEW YORK, May 31 AFP - Jamaica’s Usain Bolt clocked a 100m world record of 9.72 seconds today to electrify the Reebok Grand Prix athletics meeting.
The 21-year-old broke the previous record of 9.74 set by compatriot Asafa Powell in Rieti, Italy last September.
With a 1.7m tailwind, Bolt finished ahead of 100m and 200m World Champion Tyson Gay of the United States (9.85) and American Darvis Patton (10.07).
On a night when thunderstorms and the threat of lightning forced a 45 minute disruption to the action - and that after the start of the meet was delayed for an hour - Bolt delivered the real jolt of the night.
The 1.95m tall Jamaican immediately became the man to beat as the athletics season builds toward the Beijing Olympics in August, with Gay, Powell and the rest of the world’s sprinters relegated to the role of challengers.
This world record doesn't mean a thing unless I get the Olympic gold medal, or win at the world championships,'' he said. Bolt, the 200m world championships silver medallist, had set the athletics world buzzing on May 3, when he clocked 9.76 - then the second-fastest time in history - at a meeting in Kingston. With that performance he appeared poised to live up to his earlier credentials, which included world junior records and status as the youngest man to reach a World Championship sprint final, at Helsinki in 2005. While Bolt is now front and centre in the 100m reckoning, he said the 200m remains his passion. I always say the 200 is my favorite race. That’s not going to change,’’ said Bolt, who is considered by many a likely threat to Michael Johnson’s 200m world record of 19.32 set in Atlanta in 1996.
On the same East River island in New York City - but at a different stadium - that saw Leroy Burrell and Frank Budd set previous 100m world records, Bolt blazed out of the blocks and was never threatened.
I knew if I got out of the blocks OK, I'd have a good chance,'' Bolt said. I knew this was a fast track and that I was ready to run something in the 9.7’s.
But 9.72, that's pretty good. When I saw the time they put on the board (at first 9.71) I realised it was something special.'' The large contingent of Jamaican fans among the sellout crowd of 6,490 at Icahn Stadium went wild with delight. There were a lot of Jamaican fans here tonight,’’ Bolt said. I got a lot of support. I think they're pretty happy right now. I’m not sure whether the weather helped or not,’’ he added. It was kind of rainy early, but then it changed - guess it was all right, after all.'' Gay applauded the performance, but insisted it didn't change his approach to Beijing. I was only one-hundredth off my own PR (personal record) so you can see what a great race Usain ran tonight,’’ Gay said.
I'm not surprised that he ran that well. After all, he had that 9.76,'' Gay added. But this was just one race, it was only my second 100 of the year. I’m not going to change the programme. I’m right on schedule.’’
Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford was a distant sixth.
He was awesome,'' Crawford said of Bolt. We all want to be number one, but this was his night.
Give him credit. But it doesn't mean everything. There's no reason it can't be different next time.'' Despite his triumph, Bolt said much the same. There aren’t going to be any celebrations,’’ said Bolt, who said his next start will be in Ostrava. ``This was just one race. There’s a whole lot more to go.’’
Now those are some fans!