Usain Bolt’s triumph on Saturday was the most impressive performance I have ever seen in athletics. On the track, races are often won by mere hundredths of a second and this is more true in the 100 metres than in any other race because it is, of course, over the shortest distance.

This is a race where the lean at the tape is so important it has often been responsible for the difference between gold and silver. But not in this one…

1. Overview

Usain Bolt had his race won at 75metres and by such a margin that he was actually able to stop running and start celebrating, losing valuable time. He was able to do that and yet still run the fastest time ever.

As if that wasn’t enough, Bolt created the two tenths of a second difference over a 30m section of the race. Sensational.

2. Poor start

Bolt had the slowest reaction to the gun. His reaction time was 0.076secs compared to the other two medallists, Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Walter Dix of the US at 0.033secs.

Bolt’s drive phase was also average and had him even or just slightly behind the race leaders at that point.

At 30m into the race, when all the runners got up into their running, he started to separate from the rest of the field.

3. Key phase

By the 60m mark, Bolt had managed to establish a 3m-4m lead over his rivals.

He sprinted for another 10m or so, increasing his lead, before looking around to confirm that he was indeed clear of the field. When he had his confirmation, he dropped his arms and stopped sprinting to start celebrating. And yet, he still managed to improve his own world record to 9.69secs.

Many people have asked how this is possible and there really is a simple explanation. In the past, and even as recently as last year with Bolt himself, coaches have encouraged sprinters of his size to focus on the 400m rather than the 100m.

That is because of the importance of the start and the drive phase of the 100m, which require a short, choppy, powerful stride to execute efficiently. This is an easier task for a shorter more powerful sprinter and a relatively difficult task for a tall and lean sprinter like Bolt.

Bolt and his coach didn’t listen to that logic and worked during the off season to improve the efficiency of his long stride and the results have changed what many had previously thought was possible.

Unfortunately, some people immediately reacted to Bolt’s performance, with questions of whether performance-enhancing drugs may be a part of why he is able to run so fast. Track and field’s long-running battle with doping has created so much suspicion around any great performance.

But Bolt can be a great ambassador for the sport of athletics and a global super star with his happy and energetic personality coupled with his incredible talent. If he is to be the global super star and face of track and field that he can be, and that the sport needs, he will have to shoulder the additional burden of helping to repair the sport’s image, which has been destroyed by drug scandals.

Next for Bolt will be the 200 metres and I expect we will see another great performance.