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Usain Bolt missed at Olympics as Lamont Marcell Jacobs wins 100m: 'Never been less excited'

Bolt retired in 2017 following the World Athletics Championships. He set the record for the men's 100 meters at 9.58 seconds -something Lamont Marcell Jacobs did not break

Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy on Sunday night, August 1 (local time) became an unlikely holder of the unofficial title of “fastest man in the world,” when he became the winner of the 100 meters at Tokyo Olympics. It was the first Olympic men’s 100-meter final since 2004 without retired three-time gold medal winner Usain Bolt. 

Jacobs won the men's Olympic 100-meter race, crossing the line in 9.8 seconds, bagging the sprint gold for Italy for the first time. Born in El Paso, Texas, the son of an American father and an Italian mother, Jacobs moved to Italy as a young boy when the US military transferred his dad to South Korea. 

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Fred Kerley of the United States won the silver while Andre de Grasse of Canada took the bronze at the Olympics. Kerley finished his dash in 9.84 seconds while De Grasse clocked 9.89 seconds. 

Fans of the event, however, could not help but miss Usain Bolt at the event. Bolt, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time, is an eight-time Olympic gold medallist - and the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 meters and 200 meters titles at three consecutive Olympics in the 2008 Beijing Games, the 2012 London Games, and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. Bolt also set the record for the men's 100 meters at 9.58 seconds -- something Jacobs did not break -- as well as that of the 200 meters at 19.19 seconds.

Bolt retired in 2017 following the World Athletics Championships. And like his fans miss him on the field, he too misses the action. Bolt said in a June interview that he still does some workouts on the track, mostly just to "keep my legs fresh, keep my heart pumping". 

Earlier, Bolt had said that he saw Trayvon Bromell as a hopeful winner at the Tokyo Olympics 100 meters dash. "I feel like Bromell is feeling the best sign of really showing up," Bolt said. "I've seen him this season. He hasn't lost this season. And I feel like he came back from injury and his technique has changed, and he's been doing a lot better."

Unfortunately, Bromell, who had the fastest lifetime best among the semifinalists -- 9.77 seconds, which he had run in June -- finished third in the second of three semifinals on Sunday, missing out on an automatic spot in the final. The top four runners in the third semifinal were all faster than Bromell, knocking him out of the final.

Online, many fans of the sport complained about how the event was lackluster because of Bolt’s absence. “Usain Bolt's ruined this race tbh,” tweeted one person, quoting a tweet that said, “Not going to lie though, I’ve never been less excited for a men’s 100m Olympic final.” Another Twitter user said, “Not the same excitement without @usainbolt.” One person also tweets, “I appreciate all the participants; but ain't no better than the man himself @usainbolt miss him on track.”

One person tweeted, “I miss Usain Bolt. Not even the sprinting just his charm and charisma. Everyone loved him.” Another fan of the sport tweeted, “I miss @usainbolt, what a horrible race? And is it with Nigerian #Olympics team. The men’s 100 is is usually my favorite. Seeing it move from Bolt, Gay, Blake & Bailey to this feels weird. But still, great efforts to the participants & the participating countries.” One Twitter user replied to Bolt saying, “The 100m isn’t the same without you we miss you, and don’t worry your still the sprint king.”