Usain Bolt ‘saves athletics’ as he beats drug cheat Gatlin to retain world title

Usain Bolt “saved his sport” on Sunday as he edged out double drug cheat Justin Gatlin in the race to be the fastest man on earth on Sunday. The 29-year-old Jamaican won the men’s 100m final in at the athletics world championships in Beijing. But to many observers he won much more than his third world title, he reclaimed the integrity of a sport which has been rocked by a series of doping scandals surrounding some of its biggest names. Britain’s former middle-distance world champion Steve Cram said as Bolt won in a photofinish: “He saved his title, he saved his reputation, he may just have saved his sport.”

For me I understand why but I wanted to do it for myself also. It was a big deal.

Usain Bolt, asked if he thought he had saved the sport

For once, Bolt, who has been struggling with injury and loss of form, started the race as the underdog. His rival, seen by many as the villain of the sport, has been the fastest man in the world for the past two seasons. But Gatlin failed to cope with the pressure of Bolt on his shoulder and fell apart in the last 10m allowing Bolt to steal the title in a photofinish. Commentators and former athletes were delighted that the athlete with a clean reputation had triumphed. Former US track star Michael Johnson said: “Usain Bolt was challenged here more than he has been at any time during his career. Put on top of that the burden of 'saving the sport’ which was placed on his shoulders, it means that the pressure was there. I have to give him so much credit for that performance.”

I really cannot stand the guy (Gatlin). It’s not because he’s cheated twice it’s because he is unrepentant. He is so arrogant about it and doesn’t care. I don’t hate many people but I really hate him.

Former British heptathlete Kelly Sotherton

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