Watch Usain Bolt prove he's still the world's fastest man in this insane photo finish
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt first grabbed the public's attention with his incredible speed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But the world record holder in both the 100- and 200-meter races has fallen out of the spotlight in the last couple of years. That's because American sprinter Justin Gatlin came back from a ban to become the sport's new dominant force.
Back in Beijing on Sunday at the World Championships, Bolt squared off with his rival in the 100-meter event, and the phenoms did not disappoint.
Bolt came from behind to edge the favored Gatlin — by one-hundredth of a second. It's worth noting his 9.79 second gold medal finish is a far cry from his 9.58 second world record, but we can all forgive his sluggishness just this once.
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.