Bolt wins unprecedented third Olympic gold in 100-meter race

The ASSOCIATED PRESS

8 years ago

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the gold in the men’s 100-meter final during the athletics competitions in the Olympic stadium of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016. (Matt Slocum/Associated Press)

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt wins the men’s 100-meter final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press)

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, left, celebrates winning the men’s 100-meter final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press)

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the gold in the men’s 100-meter final during the athletics competitions in the Olympic stadium of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016. (Matt Slocum/Associated Press)

Usain Bolt became the first person to win three straight Olympic 100-meter titles, blowing down the straightaway in 9.81 seconds for his seventh overall Olympic gold.

American Justin Gatlin, Bolt’s closest pursuer over the past four years, finished second, .08 seconds behind. Andre de Grasse of Canada won the bronze.

Bolt came into the Olympics not having run a 100 since June 30, when he pulled out of Jamaican national championships with a bad left hamstring.

The rehab began immediately, and on a muggy Sunday night in Rio, the shining star of track and field showed no signs of distress.

After a typically clunky burst out of the starting block, he started pulling away from Gatlin with about 30 meters left.

He’s not done. Qualifying for the men’s 200, his favorite race, starts Tuesday, with the relay on Friday.