India's long jump queen Anju Bobby George is certainly not surprised with Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt having lowered the men's 100m world record
India's long jump queen Anju Bobby George is certainly not surprised with Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt having lowered the men's 100m world record at the IAAF World Athletics Championship in Berlin on Sunday to an impressive 9.58 seconds 0.11 seconds off his own mark set at last year's Beijing Olympics.
Anju, India's only medal winner in a World Athletics Championship (she won bronze in Paris in 2003) was an eager spectator at the Bird's Nest Stadium in the Chinese capital when Bolt thumped his chest en route to picking up gold in 9.69 seconds a year ago.
"I was in the crowd at the Bird's Nest along with other Indian athletes watching eagerly as Bolt ran that 100m final. After all that huge build up to the event and the manner in which he won it. I clearly remember how he literally walked towards the end of the race. Seeing him do that, I knew he will definitely lower the mark further in the future," Anju told MiD DAY yesterday.
Bolt had slowed down about 30 metres from the finish in Beijing and began beating his chest even as he was about to cross the finish line, highlighting the ease with which he had achieved the feat.
In Berlin however, there was no easing the pace as the 22-year-old powered away to glory giving many, including Anju, the impression that there's more in store.
"I'm confident he can run fasteru2026 9.52 or even a 9.50 is a definite possibility," she said even as she attributed Bolt's success to the early encouragement to sprinting in Jamaica.
"In Jamaica and the neighbouring regions, children take to sprinting early and they are duly encouraged. That's why not only athletes from Jamaica, but also Trinidad and Tobago and its neighbouring areas are dominating the world of sprinting.
"Of course Jamaican sprinters, both men and women, are the best," the 31-year-old said.
