Jamaican Usain Bolt set the world championships alight on Sunday in the same Berlin Olympic stadium where, in 1936, American sprinter Jesse Owens also achieved immortality in front of a much more unsympathetic audience.
Jamaican Usain Bolt set the world championships alight on Sunday in the same Berlin Olympic stadium where, in 1936, American sprinter Jesse Owens also achieved immortality in front of a much more unsympathetic audience.
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While Owens buried a dagger into the heart of the Nazis' theory on Aryan supremacy, 73 years later Bolt took the world 100m title, shattering his own world record with a time of 9.58sec to destroy the mark he set in the 2008 Olympic final of 9.69sec.
It was also a night to remember for Great Britain's Jessica Ennis who brought her team their first ever gold in the heptathlon at a world championships.
Not even Britain's 2000 Olympic heroine Denise Lewis could achieve that, delivering two silvers.
There were other golds too for the remarkable 24-year-old New Zealander Valerie Vili, who defended her shot put title to add to her Olympic crown, while Russia's Olga Kaniskina defended her title in the 20km walk, again to go with an Olympic title.
However, it was Bolt who lit up the evening as in just 33 strides he destroyed the best sprinters in the world, barely breaking sweat as he broke his own world record a year to the day that he set his previous mark in China.
"I said anything could happen and it did," said Bolt. "It was a big target but I got 9.58sec and I'm really happy with myself. Now I plan to do even better in the future.
"I was ready, I was feeling good after the semi-finals. I came out and executed it in the final."
American Tyson Gay ran a national record of 9.71sec, but was bemused as to how he still came off second best by almost two metres, seeing his world title stripped from him in the process.
"I showed a lot of heart. I didn't complain about my groin injury. I blocked everything out in the final and put it together the best I could," said the 27-year-old.
"I've been telling you someone can run 9.5sec. I'm really happy Usain did it. It shows a human being can take it to the next level. Unfortunately, I wasn't the one to do it but I still have confidence I will do it one day."
Whether he goes on to defend his 200m world title is open to question with regard to his groin problem and that could well leave the road open to Bolt to add another chapter to his quite extraordinary story.
Ennis missed the Beijing Olympics as a stress fracture had ended her season early, but the 23-year-old refused to let this chance slip.
Even in the final event, the 800m, with victory all but assured she led from the front and fought back after being passed to ensure she won in style.
"I've dreamt about the title, especially after last year's disappointment (missing the Olympics) and now I have it," said Ennis.
"It was a lot of pressure, but I've managed to do it. I've already talked to Denise Lewis and she said 'You've done amazingly'."
Ennis can now dream of capturing Olympic gold in front of thousands of home supporters in London in 2012 while Bolt eyes a golden treble here later this week.
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