TNT Sports
Gatlin grabs 100m gold
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Published 07/08/2005 at 18:55 GMT+1
Reigning Olympic champion Justin Gatlin cruised to the 100m gold at the Helsinki world championships Sunday, the American the only man in the final to break 10 sec, clocking in at a thunder-shot 9.88. Michael Frater (JAM) earned silver with defending cham
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
Gatlin rumbled out of the starting blocks like a truck, the American -- as per usual -- taking a few strides to ratchet up to speed.
Once there, however, the 23-year-old folded into perfect form, annihilating the rest of the field to win by the largest margin in world championships history.
Gatlin was the only man in the final to break the 10-second barrier; silver went to unheralded Jamaican Michael Frater in a time of 10.05 seconds.
Defending champion Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis brought in the bronze, signing the same time as Frater.
A revved-up Gatlin celebrated with gusto after the finish line, wrapping himself in an American flag before bounding through a victory lap and -- already -- turning an eye to Thursday's 200-metre final.
"Lets hope I can do the same thing in the 200," Gatlin confided to Eurosport after collecting the first half of the prestigious double.
Gatlin was the far-and-away favourite for 100-metre gold Sunday, the American's chances bolstered by the forfeit of Jamaican world record holder (9.77 seconds) Asafa Powell.
Powell, suffering from a groin strain, also ruled himself out of Jamaica's 4 x 100 relay team.
"It was a great race," said Powell, watching the 100 metre final from the sidelines.
"Gatlin's a great champion and I respect him a lot."
After a very pregnant pause, however, Powell added that the race might have been different had he been healthy to run.
"I said to myself that I would've won if I had been in the race."
Gatlin, of course, guffawed at Powell's bravado.
"Even if Asafa had been in the race, I'd have been number one," Gatlin said.
"I'm the one who came to the big dance and stopped the show. I'm going to be the fastest man in the world in the future. I am the Olympic champion and the world champion, but I want Justin Gatlin to be the champion on everything."
"If there's a gold medal for it, I want to win it."
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