The moment speed acquired a new reference point
On August 16, 2009, at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Usain Bolt ran the men’s 100 metres in 9.58 seconds. The performance did more than win a gold medal. It established a standard against which elite sprinting has been measured ever since.
The official World Athletics results list Bolt first in 9.58, ahead of Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell. The 2009 World Championships report records that Bolt improved his previous 9.69-second record by eleven hundredths of a second — an enormous margin in an event typically separated by fractions of a second.
Beyond the 100 metres
Four days after the 100m final, Bolt ran 19.19 seconds for the 200 metres at the same championships. World Athletics lists both performances as world records on his athlete profile. Those two marks reveal an extraordinary combination of acceleration, maximum speed and the ability to sustain velocity across different sprint distances.
His career was not defined by one summer alone. The official World Athletics profile credits Bolt with eight Olympic titles and eleven world titles. Those achievements matter because a record can be set in one race, but an era is shaped through repeated performances under championship pressure.
Why the record resonates outside athletics
The appeal of Bolt’s Berlin performance extends beyond stopwatch numbers. It became a reference point that athletes, coaches and fans could understand immediately: one hundred metres, less than ten seconds, with a world record broken decisively.
For ETERVOXIA, recognition is about more than counting medals. It is about identifying moments that changed expectations. Bolt’s 9.58 continues to be one of the clearest illustrations of an athlete redefining what seemed possible.
Key verified facts
- 100m world record: 9.58 seconds, Berlin, August 16, 2009.
- 200m world record: 19.19 seconds, Berlin, August 20, 2009.
- Country: Jamaica.
- Official career recognition: eight Olympic titles and eleven world titles according to World Athletics.
Sources and editorial transparency
This independent editorial draft is based on official athletics records. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Usain Bolt.