17 Aug, 2009
Bolt Runs Like Lightening in Beating His Own Record!
BERLIN (Reuters) - Usain Bolt delivered one of the most astonishing performances ever seen in athletics when he scorched to world championship 100 meters gold in a mind-blowing 9.58 seconds on Sunday. The flying Jamaican took a massive 0.11 seconds off the previous record mark he ran to win the Olympic gold medal in Beijing one year ago to the day. That left defending champion Tyson Gay a distant second even though the American's time of 9.71 was the third-fastest ever. Asafa Powell of Jamaica was third in 9.84.
"I'm not a person who thinks about world records, I think about championships," Bolt said after sending the crowd into hysteria. "That's what I went out to do and I ran a world record."
The exploits of Jesse Owens in the same Olympic Stadium 73 years ago have been a hot topic of conversation in Berlin this week and Sunday's show could have a similar shelf-life. The 100 meters record is usually nibbled at in one or two hundredths of a second slices but Bolt took a huge bite out of it and has now dropped it from 9.74 to 9.58 in a little over a year.
Bolt had given an indication of what was to come when he clocked 9.89 in his semi-final without seeming to hit top gear. That also came after he had false-started for the first time in his career. By the time of the final, conditions were perfect, with a warm evening and a legal tailwind of 0.9. Bolt unwound his long frame instantly from the blocks and was up and into his running alongside the fast-starting Gay to take control after 20 meters.
He roared through the line, watching the clock all the while, before setting off on a lap of honor, talking to the media and posing for photos with fans for almost an hour.
Gay had no complaints after a superb performance on the back of a persistent groin injury. "He ran a great race. I ran my best race but it wasn't enough," he said.
Story and photo taken from: http://www.reuters.com
1 Corinthians 9:24, 25
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
What Does God Say About Running the Race?
Like Usain Bolt, we should run to get the prize in our Christian walks. Often, we just go through the motions and wonder why we don't experience Christ to the fullest.
Today's Scripture is at the end of a chapter in which Paul is explaining to the church in Corinth that he strives to "become all things to all people" for the sake of the gospel.
His eye is on the prize of eternity and sharing that message with as many as he can so that they might share eternity with him. That is truly running the Christian race with an eternal perspective.
May we be like Paul and run the race with our eyes on the prize.
- Read all of 1 Corinthians chapter 9 so you might see today's passage in context of how Paul lived among the church in Corinth?
- Are you running for the prize in your Christian walk or just going through the motions?
- If you are just going through the motions, ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to love Christ and His message more so that you might run a better race.
- Paul talks about how he put up with many things in order that God would be glorified and the gospel advanced. If this is true for Paul than it will be no less true for us. Instead of reacting to others in irritation today, look for ways to endure for the sake of the gospel.
- Pray for others around you with an "eternal perspective." Don't just pray for their material happiness but that their eyes would be opened to the things of God.
- February 2012 [5]
- January 2012 [18]
- December 2011 [20]
- November 2011 [15]
- October 2011 [15]
- September 2011 [14]
- August 2011 [22]
- July 2011 [19]
- June 2011 [21]
- May 2011 [20]
- April 2011 [20]
- March 2011 [21]
- February 2011 [20]
- January 2011 [21]
- December 2010 [21]
- November 2010 [21]
- October 2010 [21]
- September 2010 [22]
- August 2010 [21]
- July 2010 [22]
- June 2010 [20]
- May 2010 [18]
- April 2010 [21]
- March 2010 [23]
- February 2010 [19]
- January 2010 [22]
- December 2009 [22]
- November 2009 [21]
- October 2009 [22]
- September 2009 [21]
- August 2009 [20]
- July 2009 [21]
- June 2009 [22]
- May 2009 [18]
- April 2009 [15]
- March 2009 [7]
- February 2009 [17]
- January 2009 [20]
- December 2008 [23]
- November 2008 [19]
- October 2008 [22]
- September 2008 [22]
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [11]
- May 2008 [19]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [18]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [18]
- November 2007 [15]
- October 2007 [19]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [9]
- May 2007 [11]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [10]
- June 2006 [3]
