Usain Bolt is one of the most successful track and field athletes in history. The Jamaican possesses world records in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. Apart from that, Bolt also has 8 Olympic gold medals. He won both the 100m and 200m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and went on to repeat the feat 4 years later in London when he won both events again. Thus making him the first sprinter to achieve this remarkable feat. But Bolt was not always a sprinter. In fact, he started by competing in the 200m and 400m races at Athens in 2004.

However, that all changed, as he slowly worked towards the 100m race. Just a year before the 2008 Olympics, Bolt recorded a time of 10.03 seconds at a minor event in Crete. This was Usain Bolt’s first attempt at a competitive 100m race while only being 20 years of age. A year later, he lit up the 100m event with his lightning-fast sprint that is talked about to this day.

Usain Bolt’s unbelievable run at the Olympics

After focusing on the 100m event, Bolt started putting in the work at the gym and followed a strict diet plan. That, along with his skill, helped him shatter the 10-second barrier for the first time in 2008 during a Jamaican event. In that same month, Bolt raced Tyson Gay, who was the then-world record holder. Bolt aced the race with a new world record time of 9.72 seconds. What was even more impressive was the fact that it was only the Jamaican’s fifth 100m competitive race. Following that, he reached the 2008 Beijing Olympics as the current 100m world record holder. But Bolt wasn’t done breaking records. His 2008 100m Olympic race is a treat for all track and field enthusiasts.

Bolt not only clinched the gold but obliterated the hopes of his competitors with his dramatic finish. He broke his own 100m world record and set a new one with an improved time of 9.69 seconds as compared to his previous record of 9.72. Bolt was way ahead of his opponents, which was evident with silver medalist Richard Thompson’s time of 9.89 seconds. What made Bolt’s feat even more remarkable was that he achieved this record without the advantage of a favorable wind. That wasn’t all. Upon closing in on the finish line, he also toyed with the camera, ran with an untied shoelace, and even celebrated before he had officially secured victory. However, his record was eventually broken again.

Usain Bolt breaks his own record

Usain Bolt’s 2008 100m world record was matched by Tyson Gay in 2009 and Yohan Blake in 2012. However, that did not change much for world records as Bolt had already broken his own world record again during the World Championships in 2009. His time of 9.58 seconds in 2009 is still the current world record to this day. In fact, by the time he retired, his 9.72 time at the Beijing Olympics had become his third-best 100m time. Bolt possesses the top 3 100m times in the world with 9.58, 9.63, and 9.69.

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It has been 15 years since Usain Bolt’s electrifying run at the 2008 Olympics. His world record set in 2009 is a testament to his skill, hard work, and glory. Beijing 2008 didn’t just witness Bolt’s superhuman speed; it marked the rise of an athletic legend whose impact transcends sports. His unachievable records speak volumes of his confidence and his determination that continue to inspire the next generation of track stars.

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