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Watch Usain Bolt's Historic 100-Meter Race
Jamaican runner Usain Bolt turned in a dominant performance at the Rio Olympics. It wasn't exactly a surprise — Bolt already had six Olympic gold medals under his belt, as well as the world record in the 100-meter, before the Rio games started. Nevertheless, his lightning-fast sprint, which he completed in 9.81 seconds, was truly a sight to behold. If you'd like to watch Bolt's 100-meter race, here it is. Making history, the sprinter became the first man to win three gold medals in three consecutive 100-meter Olympic races.
Bolt is staggeringly fast. His first Olympic performance wasn't a success — Bolt had a torn hamstring while competing as a 17-year-old at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and as a result, was eliminated before the quarterfinals. Ever since then, though, he's proved time and again that his ability and skill level are nothing short of phenomenal, and solidified his status as one of the fastest runners in the world.
At the 2008 games, Bolt won gold medals in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4x100-meter events. He also holds the world record in those three events, and has set eight world records throughout the course of his career. Bolt has taken home seven Olympic gold medals; in addition to his 2008 victories, he won the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4x100-meter relay at the 2012 games. Perhaps most impressive, Bolt has never once lost an Olympic final in which he was competing. In that light, his gold medal in Rio was almost a foregone conclusion, though, of course, that doesn't make it any less impressive.
Bolt has no problem playing up and celebrating his own success. After winning the gold in the 200-meter at the 2012 games in London, he dropped to the ground and did five push-ups — one for each of his Olympic gold medals. After winning a race, he often drops to one knee, cocks out one elbow and points to the sky, a move now known as "Bolting." After racing in the 2012 games, he casually referred to himself as "the greatest athlete to live."
"People can only dream of doing what he's done," Michael Frater, Bolt's 4x100m relay teammate in 2008 and 2012, told the Associated Press after the 2008 race. "He's basically cemented himself as a legend of track and field. I don't think any performance can top what he's done here."
Justin Gatlin of the U.S. came in second place in this year's 100m, finishing with a time of 9.89. The bronze medal went to Canada's Andre de Grasse, who posted a time of 9.91.