'Unbeatable' Usain Bolt Defeated in 100 Meters by Tyson Gay

Tyson Gay of the United States handed world record holder Usain Bolt his first loss in two years this week. Gay ran 9.84 seconds in the 100-meter dash to defeat Bolt, who clocked 9.97. Gay held a small lead until the halfway point, at which time he expanded the distance between himself and Bolt.

Gay set a meet record with his time, earning a $10,000 diamond for his accomplishment. This was Bolt's slowest time ever in a final and his first loss since July 2008.

The normally laid back Bolt took the defeat in stride (pun intended), claiming that he's not in very good shape. He said that he wasn't prepared for the match, while Gay was in very good shape for the race. This is not out of the question, since Bolt doesn't typically run this slow.

As a former track coach and track athlete myself, I was stunned to read that Gay defeated Bolt. Usain has run times in the 100 and 200 meters that most didn't expect a human being to reach for another 100 years. He is head and shoulders above the competition, making everyone wonder what an athlete has to do in order to run that fast.

The businessman in me can't help but wonder if the loss might be a publicity stunt. Bolt is clearly the better sprinter: Gay has to strain to run 9.84 seconds in the 100 meter dash, while Bolt can jog this time with one leg. Whether the loss was deliberate or not, it has certainly increased the amount of media exposure of track and field, and made fans curious about who is going to win the next race. Also, given that Tyson Gay is a former Kentucky track athlete like myself, I have to be happy for Gay and his team.

Personally, I put my money on Usain Bolt every day of the week. In fact, I think he should try to be the first modern athlete to win the Olympic games in the 100, 200 and 400 meter races. He's the only athlete I've ever seen who could do it.