As he prepares for one last run at multiple Olympic golds, the world’s fastest man showed he still has plenty in the tank.
Usain Bolt won his qualifying heat in the men’s 100 meters with a time of 10.07, pulling in front at the midpoint of the race and breezing into tomorrow’s semifinals — with enough room to spare that he was able to give the timing clock a glance as he passed through finish line.
It was pure Bolt: He was seemingly at total ease throughout the race, building even greater anticipation over his attempts here at building upon an Olympic record unmatched by any sprinter in the sport’s history.
Bolt, who affirmed last week that this would be his last Summer Games, has won six medals overall and back-to-back golds in the 100 and 200 meters.
It was a solid Rio debut for Bolt, who has undergone what he said “hasn’t been a perfect season” of competition. He coasted to victory in the 100 at the Jamaica Racer’s Grand Prix in June, his first competitive race in more than nine months, but then withdrew from his country’s qualifying trials with a hamstring injury.
His main competition, teammate Yohan Blake and the USA’s Justin Gatlin and Trayvon Bromell, also advanced easily.