Apparently, lightning does not strike twice; unless your name is Usain Bolt that is.
A year after amazing the world in Beijing at the Olympics, 'Lightning' Bolt rocketed to World Championship gold in an astonishing world record time of 9.58secs on Sunday night.
As Berlin's Olympic Stadium - a venue already etched in athletics' pantheon courtesy of Jesse Owens's heroics in 1936 - witnessed arguably the greatest 100m race of all time.
Bolt, somewhat inevitably, was the big name, knocking 11 hundredths of a second off his record-breaking Olympic run.
"I was ready, I knew it was going to be a great race and I came out and executed it. It's a great time - I feel good in myself," said Bolt.
For the first time in 100m history, five of the eight finalists ran in less than 9.93secs. None of them - not even Tyson Gay, whose 9.71secs effort is the third-fastest time recorded - challenged the world's fastest man.
As Gay sweated anxiously in the starting blocks, Bolt smiled and winked at TV cameras, before shouting: "I'm ready. Are you ready? Let's go!"
The gun sounded and by the time Bolt hit full stride 50 metres in, Gay's slim hopes of defending his title were shattered - a silver medal and a new national record his sole rewards.
Attentions now turn to the 200m Bolt-Gay face-off, which begins today with the first round heats, and whether Bolt can break his own 200m record of 19.30secs. The man he edged from top spot, America's Michael Johnson, is glad he was not among the Jamaican's competition.
"It's truly unbelievable what [Bolt] can do.
"I think about the people who have to run against him, and I'm glad I'm not one of them," Johnson said.
Gay, the most high profile of Bolt's rivals, concurs there seems to be no limit to the world record holder's potential to re-write history.
"I'm happy he ran 9.58 because I knew he could do it. I'm happy for him," he said.
Gay will be less content if, as expected, Bolt reproduces his velocity in tomorrow's heats.
emegson@thenational.ae
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures: Monday, first 50-over match; Wednesday, second 50-over match; Thursday, third 50-over match
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
AUSTRALIA%20SQUAD
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Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
