Jamaican super sprinter Usain Bolt’s dream of a third golden treble ended in stunning circumstances when disqualified after false starting in the final of the 100m at the world athletics championships.
Countryman Yohan Blake took full advantage, claiming the gold medal in 9.92 seconds.
Blake was a deserving winner as the only man in the final to break the 10-second barrier.
But the anti-climactic race was more about the man who wasn’t there.
Bolt, running in lane five, went early, stunning a hugely expectant crowd in Daegu who looked on shocked as the distraught superstar ripped off his shirt and held his head in disbelief before leaving the track.
“I can’t find words to explain it. Usain Bolt has been there for me. I feel like I want to cry,” said Blake, Bolt’s training partner under coach Glen Mills.
“I’ve been trained by one of the best coaches but I stayed cool and caught him (Collins). I felt I would win the race for Bolt.”
Bolt was the unbackable favourite in Daegu, having won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the Beijing Olympics and 2009 world championships – breaking his own world record in both individual sprints on both occasions.
He had proclaimed that he would become a legend of the sport if he repeated the effort in South Korea and at next year’s London Olympics.
The question was always about who could beat Bolt and the answer ended up being the man himself.
Only last year, world athletics’ ruling body instituted the no false starts rule.
But it’s unlikely they ever envisaged it catching out such a huge star on such a big stage.
The 21-year-old Blake went on to claim gold in Bolt-like style, powering away to a huge winning margin of 0.16 seconds and then striking several victorious poses for the cameras.
American Walter Dix claimed the silver in 10.08 and 35-year-old Kim Collins from St Kitts and Nevis hung on for third in 10.09.
The evergreen Collins had won the world title back in 2003 and was the star turn at this year’s Stawell Gift in rural Victoria.
The field was weakened by the withdrawal through injury of former world record holder Asafa Powell and leading US sprinter Tyson Gay.
Two of the fastest men in the world this year, Jamaican Steve Mullings and American Michael Rogers, were also absent after failing drugs tests.
The veteran Collins, who won 100m gold at the world championships in Paris in 2003, said: “It was awesone. I got out well and it was a great race. I didn’t think they would catch me.
“The champion is out and you have to take advantage of it,” said the 35-year-old. “However, maybe if he had still been there I would have (got a medal).
“I don’t think the false start rule is the right one but as the IAAF think it is good for TV it will probably stay. I know what I can do to make it to London next year.”
by Buford Balony
