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Usain Bolt, the 29-year-old Jamaican and two-time defending gold medalist in the 100 meters, is looking to make history on Sunday night, but he will definitely be pushed by the field. Canadian Andre De Grasse and American Justin Gatlin are chief among the challengers, along with Ben Youssef Meïté of Côte d’Ivoire. Gatlin, 34, ran the fastest 100-meter preliminary time of anyone, including Bolt, with a 10.01 to advance to the semifinals. Gatlin won gold in the 100 meters in 2004, before Bolt took gold in the two most recent Olympics. De Grasse, 21, had a solid Olympic debut on Saturday, running a 10.04. That time was third best in the field, ahead of Bolt’s 10.07.
The young sprinter said that, though he is nervous in his first Olympic experience, he isn’t waiting on the next one to leave his mark.
“I came out here to try to win gold. I’m a competitor so I feel like I have a good chance to take out these guys, “De Grasse said via CBC. “I’m not going to wait until 2020, I’m going to do it now.”
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But make no mistake, all eyes will be on Gatlin and Bolt, assuming both make it past the semifinals. Gatlin nearly upended Bolt in the 2015 World Championships, losing a lead late in the run that cost him an upset.
Bolt has run with a target on his back for nearly a decade, and Sunday night will be no different. Will he be able to do what his countrywoman, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, was unable to do and win his third-straight 100-meter sprint?
The eyes of the world will be watching Bolt and the men who look to take the crown of world’s fastest man off of his head.
