BEIJING, China, Sporting Alert – Usain Bolt raced away from Justin Gatlin to complete the men’s sprint double at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, on Thursday.
No Contest For Bolt In The 200m
Bolt, who never even broke the 20-seconds barrier coming into these championships, finished with a world-leading time of 19.55 seconds, after running a superb corner and held his form down the straightaway.
The world record holder even had time to ease down in the closing metres and celebrated as he crosses the line.
“I am just happy,” the Jamaican said. “I told you guys I will do it. There was no doubt.”
By completing the sprint double, Bolt won his 10th World Championships gold medal, while claiming his fourth successive 200m world title.
He was delighted to answer his critics.
“It means a lot to me,” the sprint sensation said. “I’m happy to be a 10-time World Championships gold medallist, especially when people have been saying I would lose.
“I had the utmost confidence. As long as my coach is confident, I’m super confident.
“The British people give me a lot of love and I will continue running fast.”
Coming into the final, Gatlin had been the world leader and many were backing the 33-year-old to end the run of Bolt in his favourite event.
The American, like Bolt, also got off to a very fast start, but he was unable to close the gap on his Jamaican rival coming into the home straight.
He also challenged for a brief moment in the final 100m, but Bolt was too strong for him in the end, and the U.S. champion had to settle for yet another silver medal in 19.74 secs.
Third place went to South African Anaso Jobodwana, who posted a national record of 19.87.
Magical Felix Takes 400m Crown
Also on Day 6, American Allyson Felix struck gold in the women’s 400m final.
Felix, who stepped up in distance to run the 400m in Beijing, instead of the 200m, produced a world leading and personal best time of 49.26 secs to win the title, after running a very fast opening 200m to put pressure on the field.
The American finished second in this event in the 2011 world championships.
Bahamian Shaunae Miller took the silver in a personal best time of 49.67, with Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson also breaking 50-seconds – running a personal best of 49.99 for the bronze.
Christine Day (JAM, 50.14 PB), Stephenie Ann McPherson (JAM, 50.42) and Novlene Williams-Mills (JAM, 50.47 SB) were 4th, 5th and 6th, respectfully.
Long Distances In The Field
In action in the field, American Christian Taylor produced a massive effort 18.21 metres to win the men’s Triple Jump and came with eight centimetres of equalling the world record.
Taylor, who took the lead from his season rival Pedro Pichardo of Cuba in the fourth round, stretched out to his winning mark in the sixth and final round of the competition to secure the gold medal with the second longest mark of all-time.
Pichardo finished with the silver with 17.73m, with the veteran Nelson Evora of Portugal grabbing the bronze with 17.52m.
In the women’s hammer throw, Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk dominated after breaking the championship record twice on her way to the fourth round winning effort of 80.85m.
The world record holder had first increased the previous mark to 80.27m in the third round of the competition.
