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USA’s Fred Kerley Hints at Potential Challenge to Usain Bolt’s 100m World Record After Tokyo Olympics 2020

Published 08/17/2021, 6:20 AM EDT

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via Reuters

Fred Kerley proved critics wrong at the Tokyo Olympics this year in an emphatic fashion. The American was under the media hammer for switching disciplines from the 400m race to 100m. Kerley decided that he could perform better at the short distance than the longer ones, and had a go at the trials. 

He came second at Hayward Field Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, losing out to Trayvon Bromell and finishing ahead of Ronnie Baker. Bromell was the favorite to win gold in the 100m at Tokyo itself, but the runner did not even make it to the finals after a disappointing performance. 

via Reuters

Fred Kerley, however, stepped up to the occasion and performed where it mattered the most. The American broke his personal bests to clock a blistering timing of 9.84 seconds. He was beaten only by Lamont Marcell Jacobs in the finals, who claimed gold for Italy at 9.80 seconds. 

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Content with his performance, Kerley silenced the critics and aims to move further up the ladder in the 100m race. In a recent post on Twitter, the American teased his intention to go ahead and break Usain Bolt’s legendary 100m world record. 

Is Usain Bolt too far out of reach for Fred Kerley

Bolt clocked an insane timing of 9.58 seconds in the men’s 100m race, a feat which he accomplished at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, 2009. The record has not been touched since and runners have not even come close to it. 

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That timing is the benchmark not just for Fred Kerley, but every athlete. Usain Bolt may have set the bar too high, but to beat him would be the greatest victory. With his place in the 100m race now secure, Kerley could go on to challenge the record. 

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USA Today via Reuters

However, beating it would be something of an obstacle since the American’s best timing is 9.84 seconds. His teammate Trayvon Bromell has a personal best of 9.77 seconds which places him in a better position for improvement once he hits his prime. 

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Kerley is determined to make his name and will stop at nothing to win gold in the Nike Prefontaine Classic. The silver medal may just be the beginning of a legendary journey. 

Olympic Gold Medallist Believes Sports ‘Suffered’ During Usain Bolt Era of Dominance

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Luke Dias

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Luke Dias is a senior WWE and AEW author at EssentiallySports, having published more than 1000 articles on professional wrestling. Having completed courses in Advanced Writing from the University of California and Media and Ethics from the University of Amsterdam, Luke is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Xavier’s College. His tremendous knowledge of WWE history enables him to make past connections, adding depth to the articles.
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