it is Bolt from blue again .... Jessica Ennis steals the show

In Aug  2012, an estimated two billion people saw Jamaica's Usain Bolt blazing again, burying down any talks of challenge…… it was another Olympic record though his earlier Word Record remained unscathed.At London, there was no challenge as Usain Bolt emphatically confirmed his status as the greatest sprinter in history retaining  his Olympic 100m title in peerless fashion.  He was dogged by defeat and injury but ran the second fastest time ever to beat fellow Jamaican and training partner Yohan Blake into silver and American Justin Gatlin into bronze. 

After that run the fastest 100M times  stood revised as : 9.58secs Usain Bolt in Berlin 16 Aug 2009; 9.63secs Usain Bolt in London 5 Aug 2012 ; 9.69secs Usain Bolt in Beijing 16 Aug 2008. Tyson Gay had also run 9.69secs in Shanghai in Sept 2009.  The 9.63 sec finish was one of the brilliant races whence seven men went under 10 seconds, with only the injured Asafa Powell failing to break that mark. 

Now the 15^th World Championships in Athletics is  being held at  Beijing, China. This is  the largest sporting event to take place at the Beijing National Stadium ("Bird's Nest") since the 2008 Summer Olympics.

In the 100M, predictions were on Justin Gatlin to win based on his current form and on Bolt’s travails this season, which he blamed this week on a joint problem, only partly mitigated by his 9.87sec victory at the Anniversary Games in London.  Though not closer in popularity, Gatlin’s sub 9.8 performances and metronomic consistency have provoked admiration and alarm in equal measure.Since his bronze in London in 2012 Gatlin has been getting steadily faster. This season heis  unbeaten in an astonishing 27 races. That led to speculation that he may still be benefiting from the lasting effects of banned substances. Others have wondered whether his lengthy suspension left him with younger legs than his years.

….. all that was put to back as after two years of uncertainty, Usain Bolt produced his biggest clutch performance to beat rival Justin Gatlin on Sunday in the 100m final at the World Championships with a lunge at the line.  Bolt was trailing for almost all the race, the biggest showdown in the sport in years. But with gritted teeth, the two-time Olympic champion clawed back into contention and made his giant stride count to win in 9.79 seconds, .01 seconds faster than the American veteran.Two lanes to his right, Gatlin was as good as perfect for most of the race,  but just could not finish it off !!   Trayvon Bromell of the United States and Andre De Grasse of Canada shared bronze in 9.92 seconds as two bronze medals were awarded.

There was another event and a popular winner – heptathlon, a contest made up of seven events. She is the Olympic champion who stormed to the top of world athletics at London 2012.  This year, it was different for her managing the duties of being a young mother.   Now, just 13 months after giving birth – the 29-year-old made an astonishing comeback by winning the heptathlon gold at the World Athletics Championships – after a critical slip-up saw her nearest British rival plummet out of the race.

She is the Olympic champion who stormed to the top of world athletics at London 2012.  It is Jessica Ennis-Hill - just 13 months after giving birth – the 29-year-old made an astonishing comeback by winning the heptathlon gold at the World Athletics Championships – after a critical slip-up saw her nearest British rival plummet out of the race.Hoisting the Union Flag over her shoulders after her stunning victory at the Bird’s Nest stadium, a jubilant Ennis-Hill said: ‘This time last year I just had my son and now I’m world champion. It feels incredible.’

The Sheffield athlete won the heptathlon gold after her nearest British rival, Katarina Johnson-Thompson dramatically fouled in the long jump. There was a touching moment as Ennis-Hill rushed over to give her young teammate a comforting hug.The crucial error put the 22-year-old athlete more than six seconds behind in the final 800m sprint – making Ennis-Hill’s claim to the gold all but certain.On the cusp of victory, she finished 800m heat in 2 minutes 10.13 seconds – adding another world crown to the one she won in Berlin six years ago.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

24^th Aug 2015.