'Cadence'- Usain Bolt reminisces on record-breaking 100m race alongside Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay

©Usain Bolt Instagram

'Cadence'- Usain Bolt reminisces on record-breaking 100m race alongside Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay

Festus Chuma 18:08 - 18.03.2025

Usain Bolt shares a nostalgic throwback to his record-breaking 9.58s 100m race reflecting on his rivalry with Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell.

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt recently took a nostalgic trip down memory lane reflecting on one of the greatest moments of his career.

The eight-time Olympic gold medalist shared a throwback photo from the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, where he stunned the world by setting a 100m world record that remains unbroken to this day.

The image showcased Bolt in full flight, effortlessly outpacing American sprinter Tyson Gay and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell.

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The defining moment, which cemented his status as the fastest man alive, was accompanied by a simple yet powerful caption on Instagram: "C a D e N c E."

Nearly a year after proving his supremacy at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Bolt entered the 2009 World Championships as the favorite for gold.

Before that, his best showing at the Worlds was two silver medals in the 200m and the 4x100m relay at the 2007 edition in Osaka. However, in Berlin, he rewrote history—not once, but twice.

"You should try running another distance," Bolt recalled in his autobiography Faster than Lightning, referring to a suggestion by his coach Glen Mills as per SportKeeda.

"Coach made it sound like I had a say in the matter, but we both knew it was an instruction. There was a feeling that my form in 200 could be improved by some extra training."

His coach had originally wanted him to run the 400m, believing it would build his stamina for the 200m. However, Bolt wasn’t keen on the idea.

"Yo, nice idea coach," he wrote, recalling their conversation in 2007.

"I like it." Then he gave me stupid news. 'Usain, I think you should take up the 400m again, just like you did in high school.’"

Determined to avoid the grueling one-lap sprint, Bolt struck a deal with Mills—if he could break the Jamaican 200m record, he would be allowed to compete in the 100m. The rest, as they say, is history.

At the Berlin World Championships, Bolt clocked an astounding 9.58 seconds in the 100m final, shaving 0.11 seconds off his own record.

To this day, it remains the fastest time ever recorded over the distance.

He did not stop there—he went on to smash the 200m world record as well, running an eye-watering 19.19 seconds. He capped off his campaign with gold in the 4x100m relay, securing his dominance on the track.

His rivalry with Tyson Gay and the camaraderie with compatriot Asafa Powell made the 2009 final one of the most thrilling races in history.

While Gay ran the race of his life, clocking 9.71 seconds (a U.S. record at the time), it was still not enough to keep up with Bolt’s otherworldly speed. Powell, a former world record holder himself, settled for third in a highly competitive field.

Over a decade later, Bolt’s incredible achievements remain untouched, and his one-word Instagram post—"Cadence"—perfectly captures the rhythm and fluidity that defined his legendary sprinting career.

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