Bolt: 'A Sprinting Prodigy From Another Planet'

Usain Bolt became the fastest man in the world, ever, yesterday—without even appearing to try. “His run was mind-boggling. Freakish. Revolutionary,” writes Joe Posnanski in the Kansas City Star. “He coasted his last seven strides, and all day he’d only eaten chicken nuggets, and his left shoe was untied.” Still, the Jamaican crossed the finish line a stunning .2 seconds before the silver-medalist.

Which leads Posnanski, and others, with the irresistible question: “How fast could he have gone?” Some say 9.55 seconds. Still, 9.69 was enough for Bolt. “I only race to win,” said the 6’5” sprinter. In fact, he said, he didn’t know about the record until after he’d run his victory lap. And his laid-back run hasn’t been marred with now-common steroid speculation. “In the end,” Posnanski writes, “if you can’t believe, really, then what fun is it all?” (More Usain Bolt stories.)