The Lightning Bolt

On Sunday August 16th, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt made history for the second time in two years. One year ago, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he became the first human to run 100 meters in under 9.70 seconds, with a world record time of 9.69. One year later, at the 2009 Berlin World Championships, he shattered his own mark by clocking a 9.58. Bolt is not the only sprinter lighting the track on fire these days, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay are doing incredible things as well, it’s just too bad for them that they have to compete against this abnormality.

If looking at his times doesn’t make your eyes pop out in disbelief, perhaps we should put the numbers in perspective. At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, Canadian Donovan Bailey became the fastest man ever, by recording a world record time of 9.84 seconds. Even after he set that record, the idea of anyone beating the 9.80 mark was unheard of, except by Ben Johnson who did it on steroids in 1988 at the Seoul Olympics. In that race, Johnson blew away the competition with a time of 9.79 seconds, with his closest competitor, Carl Lewis, clocking in at 9.92.

At this weekend’s Berlin World Championships, Asafa Powell matched Bailey’s 9.84 seconds, yet that previous world record time was only good enough for third place. Powell actually held the title of world’s fastest man for two years with his best mark being 9.74 seconds, before Bolt arrived. And poor Tyson Gay. If he had put in this past Sunday’s time two years prior, he would have made headlines worldwide, just as Bolt is doing now. Instead, his incredible personal accomplishment – 9.71 seconds is but an afterthought next to Bolt’s feats.

Back to the current world’s fastest man, experts are saying that the lanky Jamaican hasn’t even hit his peak yet. Professors are predicting that at altitude, he may even be able to beat 9.40 seconds. His combination of height – he towers at 6’-5” – and foot speed are allowing for speed calculations that physics simply didn’t permit before. And then there is his completely unique disposition. In a discipline where one trains for years to compete for 10 seconds, during which one slip, one wrong stride, one misstep can cost you the race in the blink of an eye, before a race, he appears to be as relaxed as if he were about to spend a relaxing day on the beach.

As far as witnessing greatness goes, this opportunity is far less time consuming than watching five hour tennis matches or four full rounds of golf. Next time a world track meet is on, set aside 10 seconds, sit down and kick up your heels. By the time you do that, the race will be over, and you can go back to your regular life!