Usain Bolt wins third consecutive Olympic gold in 100-meter dash

Baku. 19 August. REPORT.AZ/ Usain Bolt on Sunday became the first man to win the 100-meter dash in three consecutive Olympics, blazing to the finish line at Olympic Stadium in 9.81 seconds. 

Report informs, he went past American Justin Gatlin as if Gatlin were standing still, which he certainly wasn’t. Gatlin was second in 9.89 seconds, and Andre De Grasse of Canada -- who won NCAA titles in the 100 and 200 while competing for USC -- was third in a personal-best 9.91 seconds.

Bolt soaked up the crowd’s attention before the race, as he always does, animated while others are quiet, outwardly expressive while others are straight-faced and focused. He pointed to the camera, gestured to the adoring crowd and performed his usual routine of putting his index finger over his mouth and then, as he settled into the blocks, crossing himself and pointing his index finger to the sky.

He had served notice during his semifinal heat, a few hours earlier, that he was poised to do something special when he was clocked in 9.86 seconds despite easing up about 15 meters from the finish line. He lived up to that promise in the final, running in Lane 6, again next to De Grasse, who seemed to be pulled along in Bolt’s magnetic wake.

Bolt walked a victory lap around the stadium, holding a stuffed version of the Rio Olympic mascot that someone had handed him before going over to the stands to embrace and be embraced by fans. De Grasse wrapped himself in a Canadian flag and jogged around the track joyously.

Bolt will also compete in the 200, the event he won in the last two Olympics, and will go for a triple-triple of winning the 100, the 200 and the 400-meter relay in three straight Games.