BEIJING – Like the best of showmen, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt left us wanting more.
Twenty meters from the finish line, his celebration began. He relaxed his arms, looked toward the crowd and slapped his chest. And despite those theatrics, he still covered 100 meters faster than any man ever has.
He did it in 9.69 seconds, and immediately one had to wonder how much faster he could go. Faster than a speeding bullet?
The showman teased our imaginations. But he denied us the answer, shrugging off questions about why he coasted for the final 20 meters rather than obliterate the world record.
“I didn’t come here to run the world record because I am the world-record holder,’’ he said. “I came here to win.’’