Jamaica’s Usain “Lightning” Bolt produced an electrifying and phenomenal 9.58 (+0.9m/s wind) run yesterday to win the 100m at the 12th IAAF Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany. Many described the time as a superhuman feat but it was exactly what scientists said he would have done in Beijing a year ago if he hadn’t slowed long before reaching the line in a world record 9.69 secs.

Wearing orange spikes, the poster boy of world track, who hails from rural Jamaica, slapped his chest repeatedly after running through the finish line. He had just decimated the Caribbean-heavy field that included Trinidad’s Richard Thompson and Marc Burns, Britain’s Dwain Chambers, Antigua’s Daniel Bailey, Jamaica’s Asafa Powell and Americans Tyson Gay and Darvis Patton, and forced Gay back into second in a new US national record 9.71. Third was Bolt’s compatriot, Asafa Powell, running his season best 9.84 secs.

Bolt will collect US$60,000 for winning the race and an additional US$100,000 for setting a world record. As a prize winner, he must, of course, undergo and clear the usual anti-doping procedures.

With the mostly German crowd still buzzing over the silver medal performance of Nadine Kleinert in Shot Put and the British fans still giddy from the Jessica Ennis’s gold medal win in the women’s Heptathlon, the atmosphere was ripe for Bolt to set the stadium on fire. And he did not disappoint. He was almost the last out of the blocks but took the lead somewhere around the 30-meter mark. The 6’5’’powerhouse motored his way through the 80-meter mark and then looked at the clock at 90 meters, where he was not being challenged.

The always entertaining Bolt smiled and posed for pictures by the electronic timing board and with Powell before they both briefly unveiled their new dance moves.  When asked by NBC what he thought about Gay’s 9.71 performance, Bolt said “I just beat seven competitors and I was not thinking about Tyson Gay.”

Bolt’s scintillating run captivated the entire stadium, leaving the roaring spectators stunned over what they had just witnessed. Prince Albert of Monaco stood and held his forehead and looked around in disbeli ef . The question now on everyone’s mind is: what will he do for an encore in the 200m, his pet event?

H e is the second Caribbean man to win the event. The first was Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis in 2003.