Men’s 100m
Preliminary
Round 8:30 AM Saturday, August 13th
Heats
11:00 AM Saturday, August 13th
Semi-Final
8:00 PM Sunday, August 14th
Final
9:25 PM Sunday, August 14th
World Record: Usain Bolt (Jamaica)
9.58, 2009
Best Mark Past 10 Years: Usain Bolt
(Jamaica) 9.58, 2009
Olympic Record: Usain Bolt
(Jamaica) 9.63, 2012
A Standard: 10.16
2012 Olympic Medalists
Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 9.63, Yohan Blake (Jamaica) 9.75, Justin
Gatlin (USA) 9.79
2015 World Championship Medalists
Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 9.79, Justin Gatlin (USA) 9.80, T-Trayvon
Bromell (USA), Andre De Grasse
(Canada) 9.92
2016 World Leaders
Justin Gatlin (USA) 9.80, Trayvon Bromell (USA) 9.84, Jimmy
Vicaut (France) 9.86
Team USA
Just
Gatlin, 34 (9.74/9.80), Trayvon Bromell, 21 (9.84/9.84), Marvin Bracy, 22
(9.93/9.94)
Last
year the World Championship 100 meter final was billed as a battle of good and
evil. Usain Bolt of Jamaica battled with the USA’s Justin Gatlin, a man who has
served a suspension for performance enhancing drugs. Whether you agree with the
narrative or not, the pressure may have gotten to Gatlin has he broke form in
the final meters, allowing Bolt to defeat him in his return to Beijing, the
same place where he became a global superstar in 2008.
If it
wasn’t for a false start in 2011, Bolt would have won the past 6 world
championships in the 100m. He’s run blistering fast times of 9.58 (2009) and
9.63 (2012) but he’s slowing down. At 29, Bolt’s 100 best this season is just 4th
in the world and his 2015 winning mark of 9.79 was the slowest of any of his
winning efforts. For most, the 200 is seen as Bolt’s better event and the 100
is certainly where he appears most vulnerable.
Meanwhile,
Justin Gatlin, at 34 years of age, is still rolling. He has run 9.80 this year
is the current world leader. He’s been utterly dominant this year (although he
hasn’t faced Bolt) and he enters this final as arguably the favorite for gold
among the more religious followers of the sport. He could potentially topple
Bolt and end his quest for an unprecedented 3 straight Olympic golds.
Behind
the top two names, Frenchmen Jimmy Vicaut is quietly putting together a monster
year. He’s been under 9.9 twice this season, including his #3 mark in the world
of 9.86. He doesn’t have any senior medals on his resume, but with bests of
9.86 each of the past two seasons the 24 year old is knocking on the door. The
USA’s Trayvon Bromell (21) is also doing his best running in 2016. He ran 9.84
at the Olympic Trials and is a bronze medalist already on the world scene. Of
course his rival, Canada’s Andre DeGrasse, split that bronze medal with him and
is still lurking as a medal contender this year. The former NCAA champ at USC
has freakish talent but has been quiet on the global scene in 2016. His best
this year is only 9.99. But watching him at the ATL meet against Asafa Powell
reminded us of his talent.
The
last USA team member is Marvin Bracy. Bracy’s a sub 10 performer this season
(9.94 this year) and is a phenomenal 60m sprinter (PR of 6.48). He finished 2nd
in the 2014 world championships indoors in that event. He’s not quite as strong
over the full hundred, but he’s got such raw speed that when he puts it together
he’s a monster. He made the 100 team out of the US so, naturally, he’s got
great odds of making the final and an outside chance at the medals, but it’s
going to be tough for him to jump some of the names I’ve already discussed.
Ultimately,
I think Bolt will win this one. Perhaps that’s more desire than logic. It’s
really hard to bet against Gatlin, but somehow Bolt always seems to find a way.
3rd is up for grabs, but I’ll go American here, trusting in our 100
depth.
1.
Bolt,
2. Gatlin, 3. Bromell
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