Usain Bolt Breaks the 100 Meters World Record in Beijing

On 16 August 2008, Usain Bolt stood on the track in Beijing for the men's Olympic 100 meters final. The young Jamaican athlete had entered the senior sprinting scene primarily as a specialist over 200 meters. His coach, Glen Mills, believed Bolt was also suited to the 400 meters, and Bolt ran his first competitive 100 meters only in 2007, the same season he broke Donald Quarrie's Jamaican 200-meter record, which had stood since 1971. Entering the Olympic competition with a fresh world record of 9.72 seconds set earlier that spring in New York City, Bolt lined up as a top contender on the grandest stage in athletics.

Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago made the best start, but Bolt soon accelerated away from the field. Over the final 15 meters he spread his arms and thumped his chest, celebrating while still running. Despite this visible deceleration, Bolt crossed the finish line in 9.69 seconds, improving his own world record by 0.03 seconds and finishing well ahead of silver medalist Thompson, who ran 9.89. The performance gave Jamaica its first Olympic gold medal in the men's 100 meters, in only the 13th race of Bolt's career over the distance.