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Usain Bolt who currently holds the world record for the fastest 100m time set his first world record in the event in 2008 with American sprinter Tyson Gay playing a part in his motivation.
Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt has credited his fierce rivalry with American sprinter Tyson Gay as a key motivator in his journey to setting his first 100m world record.
Bolt’s historic feat unfolded at the New York Grand Prix in June 2008, where he clocked an astonishing 9.72 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 9.74 seconds set by fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell.
The showdown between Bolt and Gay was highly anticipated, with Bolt seeking to establish himself as a serious contender ahead of the Beijing Summer Olympics later that year.
At the time, Tyson Gay was the reigning world champion and widely regarded as one of the fastest men on the planet.
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Reliving the moment in a conversation with World Athletics after the race, Bolt revealed how crucial his start was in determining the outcome.
"I knew if I could beat Tyson out of the blocks, I could win the race," he said. A false start in the initial attempt only heightened the intensity, giving both sprinters a chance to refine their starts for the second run.
Bolt’s electrifying performance not only secured victory but also marked his first 100m world record, an achievement he initially hadn’t been aiming for.
"If I'm actually going for it, you can tell. the first two times when I broke the record, I wasn’t going for it," Bolt explained in a recent episode of The Jonathan Ross Show.
Reflecting on his mindset that day, Bolt said, "In New York, it was the first time I was going to compete with Tyson over 100 meters. All I wanted to do was beat him and prove that I was better. When I won, I ran all the way around the track. It was when I almost made it back around that the announcer said I had broken the record, that’s when I realized."
Bolt’s groundbreaking run in New York was a precursor to his record-shattering performances later that year at the Beijing Olympics. There, he set new world records in both the 100m clocking 9.69 seconds and 200m with a time of 19.31 seconds.
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The rivalry with Gay and the pressure of that race not only propelled Bolt into the record books but also signaled the dawn of a new era in sprinting, with Bolt’s dominance redefining the sport for years to come.
His stardom rose to new heights as the year culminated with Bolt's fame across the globe becoming what it is today.
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