Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres
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Men's 100 metres at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad | ||||||||||
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Venue | Beijing National Stadium | |||||||||
Dates | 15 August (heats and quarterfinals) 16 August (semifinals and final) | |||||||||
Competitors | 80 from 64 nations | |||||||||
Winning time | 9.69 WR | |||||||||
Medalists | ||||||||||
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The men's 100 metres sprint event at the 2008 Olympic Games took place on 15 and 16 August at the Beijing National Stadium.[1] Eighty athletes from 64 nations competed.[2] Each nation was limited to 3 athletes per rules in force since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by Jamaican Usain Bolt in a world record time of 9.69 seconds. It was Jamaica's first title in the event, and first medal in the event since 1976. Jamaica became the first country to join the men's 100 metre winners since Trinidad and Tobago, also in 1976; Richard Thompson won that country's fourth overall medal in the event with his silver.
Holding a considerable lead 70 metres into the race, Bolt opened his arms in celebration before slapping his chest. British athlete and television presenter Kriss Akabusi criticized this gesture as showboating, noting that it cost Bolt an even faster record time.[3] IOC president Jacques Rogge also criticized Bolt's actions as disrespectful.[4][5] Bolt denied that this was the purpose of his mid-race celebration by saying "I wasn't bragging. When I saw I wasn't covered, I was just happy."[6]