Expdonaloaded Sports News; IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Bolt stuns the world to take gold

USAIN Bolt produced per­haps his greatest miracle of all as he put a troubled build-up behind him to beat two-time doper and clear favou­rite, Justin Gatlin, to retain his world 100m title. The controversial Gatlin came into the final on a 28- race unbeaten run and ap­parently relishing his role as the sport’s bad guy. But at the same Bird’s Nest stadium where Bolt announced himself to the world with two Olympic golds and two world records in 2008, the Jamaican su­perstar came past a faltering Gatlin at the death to snatch victory by one hundredth of a second. Bolt’s 9.79 seconds was more than two tenths off his world record, but this was a night for athletics to cel­ebrate victories rather than times.
Canada’s Andre de Grasse and young Ameri­can Trayvon Bromell were both awarded bronzes in 9.92secs. Few noticed. This was once again the Bolt show, even as the world doubted him, even as his own strug­gles this summer continued in a semi-final when he stumbled and almost fell. Gatlin had looked unbeat­able in running 9.77secs in his own semi-final, but start­ing out in lane seven – US team-mate Tyson Gay be­tween him and Bolt in five – he was the slowest of the main contenders from the block. In every race this season his technique has been as certain as his reception has been chequered. Yet, with Bolt out faster and level with him at 50m, he tightened up horribly in the last 30 metres and staggered through the line as Bolt flew through. The characterisation of this showdown as good ver­sus evil was always over­played. Neither is it redemp­tion for a sport when the final contained three other men who have also returned from doping bans. Yet it is another reminder, if any were needed, of both Bolt’s peerless competitive and athletic abilities and how much his sport owes him.