This blog is about endurance running, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write about the amazing sprinting exploits of a certain Usain Bolt at last week’s IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
Many commentators and journalists have struggled to find the right superlatives to describe his new world records for the 100m and 200m, ‘amazing’, ‘staggering’, ‘incredible’ seem to be the leading contenders. But none come close. I don’t mind admitting that I jumped out of my seat and screamed at the TV when I saw the time of 9.58 seconds for Bolt’s 100m. He destroyed his previous mark and given that his preparation was not as good as for last year’s Olympics his run was all the more remarkable. According to the Hungarian tables which compare world records across events his 100m record is equivalent to a 9.15m long jump and a 1.59.14 marathon, making it arguably the best of all the world records.
There have been some big names and some superb achievements in men’s sprinting over the years. Growing up in the 1980s I watched Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis, Donovan Bailey, Linford Christie and many others. They broke world records and won medals. Some were professional and dedicated to their sport (though many decided to cheat and ended up disgraced), but they were not exactly lovable. So in many ways what is most remarkable about Bolt is not just how fast he runs, but the way he does it. For him, entertaining the crowd and having fun are just as important. During the rounds of the 100m GB athlete @JnetteKwakye tweeted that sprinters seem to have lost what she called their ‘game face’ and that it had all become a bit of a ‘panto’. Janette speaks from a position of some experience. After all she stood on the start line of the 100m Olympic final in Beijing. But I do think she is wrong. As a spectatator I love the fact we don’t have the ridiculous macho posturing you used to get at the start of every 100m and 200m race. Most of the time it meant absolutely nothing and bore no relation to the quality of what was to follow. What Bolt has done to cut through all that nonsense and connect with the audience. Now everyone is at it. Even Kenenisa Bekele was playing to the crowd on the start line for the men’s 5000m.
No doubt 1000s of youngsters are being turned on to sprinting. And that’s important. Its only by having heros that you create the next generation of runners. Some day, somone will run faster than Usain Bolt. We just may have to wait a long time to see it.
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