SPECIAL BOLT PERFORMANCE

It is not often in life that one gets to witness a special performance like the one we saw from Usain Bolt at the Gibson Relays on Saturday.

That special performance was not the easy 9-second anchor leg ‘jog’ put down by the triple world and Olympic Champion as his Racer’s track club won the Clubs and Institutions 400-metre relay in a world-leading 38.08seconds. No, that mind-boggling piece of work came in a losing effort in the 4×400 metre relay.

Bolt, running for the Racers Lions, a team that included Yohan Blake, and Alonzo Barrett, found himself far behind on the anchor leg and proceeded to show the stuff we all know champions are made of. He uncorked a 43.6s anchor leg that dropped the jaws of all who saw it.

 His team finished second but that was secondary to the recognition now that Bolt – if he so chooses – can be a world beater at the 400 metres as well.

We all know he has the potential. Those of us who have been following his career saw his 45.35 at Champs, we have also seen the ease at which he produces 45-second runs to start each season.

A few weeks ago during the unveiling of his piece of the Berlin wall, a memento of his amazing exploits at the world championships in Berlin, Bolt revealed that he has not done any work with regards to the 400 metres this off season. That revelation made his performance on Saturday even more remarkable.

The 43-second relay split is equivalent to between a 44.2 and 44.5 over the flat 400 metres. This, without any 400 metre work. Incredible. The flat times are already good enough to challenge World Champion Leshawn Merritt, who says he would welcome Bolt stepping up to his event.  Based on what we have seen Merritt should be careful what he wishes for.
There has been debate about how fast Bolt can run a 400 metres if he actually trains for it. Many, including many-time champion Maurice Greene feel that 41 seconds is not out of the question, given the ease at which Bolt can produce 20-second runs for the 200m.

Based on what we saw on Saturday, we have now come to understand that such an accomplishment will come. It is only a matter of time.