[Archive 2009-08-22] Usain Bolt breaks 200m and 100m sprint records at championships

Historical archive — originally published 2009-08-22. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt set a new world record in the 200 metres, Thursday evening at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Bolt sped through the 200m in a time of 19.19 seconds, breaking the 19.32 mark set by Michael Johnson of the United States in 1996.

At 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall, Bolt is uniquely tall among sprinters to have held record times.

Last Sunday, with a time a 9.58 seconds, the Jamaican runner set a new world record in the 100 metres, besting his own prior 9.69 second record, which he set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. In the race, he beat his main contender, Tyson Gay, who was ahead for 10m until the Bolt reached his full stride.

Even before his exploits at the World Championships, Usain Bolt was chosen as Laureus World Sports Awards' Sportsman of the Year for 2009.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Usain Bolt breaks 200m and 100m sprint records at championships by Wikinews contributors under CC BY 2.5. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. Contributor history.