Some have argued that Bolt has 'saved the sport' after pipping convicted doper Justin Gatlin to the championship by one-hundredth of a season
Usain Bolt became a three-time world champion by storming past Justin Gatlin in the 100 metre final in Beijing.
After scraping through to the final following a stumble in the semis, Bolt ran a near-perfect race, edging past Gatlin on the line, recording a 9.79 time and a seasonal best.
Bolt has now drawn level with Carl Lewis and Maurice Green with three world titles at 100m.
Besetting a pelvic injury for most of the season, Bolt did not look his best and Gatlin was undoubtedly the favourite heading into the final.
And Gatlin held the lead at the halfway point but Bolt opened up and put the pressure on the American, tipping him in a photo-finish.
It ended Gatlin's 28-race winning streak which went back two years and denied him the chance to win his first world title for 10 years.
Gatlin, just like in his semi-final earlier, was given a mixed reception by the crowd in Beijing after serving two different doping suspensions.
The result proved to be a popular one, with BBC commentator Steve Cram stating: "I've never been happier commentating on a 100m final."
Trayvon Brommel and Andre De Grasse were both awarded the bronze medal, scoring identical 9.92 second times.
But Bolt was perhaps a little lucky to have made it to the final.
The lightning-fast Jamaican made a nightmare start in the semis and found himself back in seventh place at the halfway point of the race.
He appeared to stumble as he came out of the blocks, leaving himself with everything to do in the final 80 meteres.
But he was able to make up the gap and pip his opponents to the line at the Bird's Nest, as he recorded a slightly disappointing time of 9.96 seconds - enough to get him into the final.
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