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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Lighting-Fast Bolt Smashes 100-Meter Record

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(Newser) – Jamaica's Usain Bolt shattered the world record for the 100-meter race today, shearing more off the previous best time—his own—than anyone in recorded history, reports the Chicago Tribune. With a 2 mph tailwind, the 22-year-old clocked in at just 9.58 seconds—0.11 seconds faster than the 9.69 record time he set at the 2008 Olympics.

Bolt struck several poses before the gun, imitating a lightning bolt and then an aircraft taking off. But the track performance at the Berlin stadium was far from hype. One commentator said Bolt's time was "some kind of unicorn-like fantasy." His American rival Tyson Gay finished second in 9.71, the third-fastest time in history, beaten only by Bolt's two world records.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line in the final of the men's 100-meter race at the World Athletics Championships at the Berlin Olympic Stadium yesterday.
Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line in the final of the men's 100-meter race at the World Athletics Championships at the Berlin Olympic Stadium yesterday.   (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Usain Bolt crosses the finish line during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin yesterday.
Usain Bolt crosses the finish line during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin yesterday.   (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates setting a new world record in the 100 meter race during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin yesterday.
Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates setting a new world record in the 100 meter race during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin yesterday.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
At the bottom the time code is seen from right to left. Usain Bolt, right, won the final, setting a new world record in the 100-meter race.
At the bottom the time code is seen from right to left. Usain Bolt, right, won the final, setting a new world record in the 100-meter race.   (AP Photo/Seiko)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt poses beside the indicating board after setting a world record in the 100-meter race.
Jamaica's Usain Bolt poses beside the indicating board after setting a world record in the 100-meter race.   (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)
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Usain Bolt runs 100m in 9.58 seconds for a new world record in Berlin.   (usainboltlive)
Jamaicans celebrate Bolt's new record.   (reuters.com)

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"We have to rethink everything we know about human performance. I used to talk about times in the area of 9-low as some kind of unicorn-like fantasy, but he has made fantasy into reality." - Ato Boldon, former Olympic medalist

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5 comments
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Alexandria
Aug 17, 09 3:00 AM CDT
He's such an incredible runner! Good for him! Reply
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+2
riffran
Aug 17, 09 3:42 AM CDT
good gooogly moogly thats slow......for a cheetah or maybe a early jet...lol....AWSOME! job usain...cool indeed Reply
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+2
cochiserocks
Aug 17, 09 4:38 AM CDT
WOW! This guy is like Phelps on dry land! :-) Reply
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+1
ruserious
Aug 17, 09 9:24 AM CDT
What an outstanding time! Reply
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+1
QueenAlli
Aug 17, 09 10:12 AM CDT
J-A-M Jamaica, I-C-A Jamaica. Reply
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+1
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