Recap and Reactions: Men's 100m Finals!

As per usual, the men’s 100m dash had the whole world on edge. Even in the semi finals, the anticipation was slowly rising.

France’s Jimmy Vicaut and Côte d’Ivoire’s Ben Youssef Meïté gave each other a run for their money (literally). Team Canada’s stellar sprinter Andre De Grasse was not only in the same heat as Usain Bolt, but the two started side by side in neighbouring lanes, and finished first and second in this heat with sub-10 second times, De Grasse matching his personal best of 9.92 seconds and Bolt floating by with a time of 9.86 seconds. Two more athletes from Team Jamaica and Team USA, Yohan Blake (Jamaica) and Justin Gatlin (USA) went head to head in the final heat.

With the Rio games quite possibly being Usain Bolt’s final Olympic games of his career, he had quite a few standards to maintain and medals to win. But after recovering from a hamstring injury, some thought that this just might be the race in which Justin Gatlin finally passes Usain Bolt to win the gold medal in the 100m dash.

They thought wrong.

Gatlin had an amazing start, pushing him into the lead for the first 50 metres before the big man himself, Usain Bolt surged forward and took the lead the he was all too familiar with, cruising past the finish line. Gatlin came in second, quickly followed by Andre De Grasse, who just narrowly beat Yohan Blake.

Not only did De Grasse win a bronze medal, but he also beat his personal best by a hundreth of a second, running a time of 9.91 seconds. This is also the first Canadian medal in the 100m in 20 years! The last Olympic medal in the event won by a Canadian was in 1996 by Donovan Bailey, who finished in first.

On a journey for victory and redemption after a third-place finish at the London Olympic games, Justin Gatlin finished with a time of 9.89 seconds, dangerously close to Andre De Grasse. Although not the gold he won in Athens in 2004, he had a remarkable start that definitely got people thinking twice!

Finishing with a time of 9.86 seconds, Usain Bolt added yet another gold medal to his collection, his third straight gold Olympic medal in the 100m event!

If you missed it, here’s the race!

https://twitter.com/SivanJohn/status/765015307832340480

Here are some reactions:

Jamaica House (Rio)

https://twitter.com/Rio2016_en/status/764990532913364993

Canada House (Rio)

The reaction at Canada Olympic House in #Rio2016 as @AthleticsCanada's @De6rasse moves on to 100m final. #TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/HjZbrKfAps

— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) August 15, 2016

Donovan Bailey (CBC Studios, Rio)

Congrats to #DeGrasse on the bronze! Another @TeamCanada medal. Yes! And to @donovanbailey – you're Captain Canada! pic.twitter.com/ay8cKFtZy4

— Toby Glanville (@tobyglanville) August 15, 2016

All three will also be participating in the 200m and the 4x100m relay. Whose reaction was the most like you? Will you be watching? Who are you rooting for? Let us know by tweeting us at @CelebMix!

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