Record run

BEIJING (AP)

Usain Bolt capped his stunning rise to stardom with an Olympic title, without even really trying, by setting a world record today to win the 100 metres.

With Tyson Gay out in the semi-finals, the 21-year-old Jamaican seemingly only had Asafa Powell to beat, but when he looked around and realised he was all clear with 30 meters to go, he coasted and still set a world record of 9.69 seconds.

Well behind, Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago took the silver medal in 9.89, and Walter Dix of the United States was third in 9.91.

Powell finished fifth in the race.

If athletics was looking for a defining moment to get the sport back on track after years of doping scandals, this was it. And the sell-out crowd of 91,000 at the Bird's Nest let out a huge cheer, realising it had seen something historic under the Olympic flame.

With a third of the race to go, Bolt had the luxury to look right, realised he was way out front, outstretched his arms, and pounded his chest as he crossed the line, slicing .03 off the record he set in May.

Soon he settled and produced a signature move, lining up an imaginary bow and arrow and letting go of that now-famous imaginary bolt.

So confident was he that he already had done the same during the presentation for the race, too.

He looked like a wide-eyed giant, happy to take in the whole occasion ahead of the race. Afterward, he became the happiest of Jamaicans with the biggest of grins, his canary yellow shirt disappearing in a sea of friends while reggae music blared.

What was supposed to be a three-way battle turned into a one-man show never seen before. In four races in two days, not once did he push himself to the limit, yet produced the most stunning series of races.

All for a guy who was hardly known outside his Caribbean nation at the start of the season.

And he can make it even better. He is the overwhelming favourite for the 200, and with Powell as a team-mate Jamaica is now a favourite to beat the Americans at their game, the 4x100 relay next weekend.