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Usain Bolt celebrates victory in Beijing.

Bolt accepts importance of victory over Gatlin

“It definitely means a lot; I’ve been struggling all season to figure what the problem was.”

USAIN BOLT ACKNOWLEDGED it was a “big deal” to claim 100 metres gold at the World Championships on Sunday but stated his desire to win for himself rather than for the good of athletics.

Bolt ran a time of 9.79 seconds in Beijing to clinch victory ahead of Gatlin — the American who has served two doping bans during his career.

Prior to a victory that will be celebrated by many, due to Gatlin’s past, six-time Olympic champion Bolt had played down the narrative at the heart of the contest, which had seen him cast in the role of athletics’ potential saviour.

And after securing his third 100m title at a World Championships, Bolt again played down the notion he had registered a victory for his sport.

The Jamaican told BBC Sport: “For me I understand why [people think that] but I wanted to do it for myself. It was a big deal obviously.

“It definitely means a lot; I’ve been struggling all season to figure what the problem was. I’m just happy.

“It’s just been up and down, I stumbled a little bit [in the semi-finals] but when I tripped I just thought continue to drive and the rest will be okay.”

Gatlin had looked much more comfortable than Bolt in the semi-finals, recording a time of 9.77secs to his rival’s 9.96.

Yet when it mattered most, Gatlin was ultimately found wanting as he crossed the line a hundredth of a second behind Bolt.

Usain Bolt beats Justin Gatlin by a nose in thrilling World Championship 100m final>

English, Barr and more big names tumble out at semi-final stage>

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Aug 11th 2024, 4:56 PM

    This is a brilliant camogie match

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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:38 PM

    Well my issue is the Cork goal was a free out ,she threw it into the net ,attempted to strike but missed and the ball ended up in the net from her hand …

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    Mute WqM9AAv3
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:49 PM

    @Gerry Campbell: really difficult to see in real time.

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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:54 PM

    @WqM9AAv3: True ,I’m just thick now ,I’ll be grand in a bit .

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    Mute Michael Burke
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    Aug 11th 2024, 7:11 PM

    @Gerry Campbell: You’d be entitled to be a bit upset if you’re a Galway man, big disappointments this year.

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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    Aug 11th 2024, 7:26 PM

    @Michael Burke: Ah I’m over it Michael ,small stuff in fairness with all that’s going on in the world ..

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    Mute Stanley darsh
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    Aug 11th 2024, 4:53 PM

    Comments closed due to not being allowed to say anything critical about Israel. Thank you The Journal

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    Mute tbEE5DMm
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    Aug 11th 2024, 5:15 PM

    @Stanley darsh: Whydo Irish people only care about Israel? Ye stay silent about all the other atrocities happening but are constantly talking about Israel?

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    Mute Sean Money
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    Aug 11th 2024, 5:20 PM

    @Stanley darsh: the hamas fellas were hiding in the school, always using the people as a shield. The people were also well aware hamas were around.

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    Mute Stanley darsh
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    Aug 11th 2024, 5:24 PM

    @tbEE5DMm: yeah it’s not fair that Gaza is the only genocide getting attention. Why isn’t anyone paying attention to other massacres around the world. I guess it’s the Anti Semitism which is on the rise all over the world for some reason.

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    Mute Stanley darsh
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    Aug 11th 2024, 5:26 PM

    @Sean Money: Yeah also Hamas forced the Israeli soldiers to R*** the Palestinian Prisoners is the Israeli jails.

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    Mute Stanley darsh
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    Aug 11th 2024, 5:40 PM

    @Sean Money: Hamas also made the Israeli soldiers commit a Seckual a$sault against the Palestinian prisoners.

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    Mute WqM9AAv3
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    Aug 11th 2024, 5:51 PM

    @tbEE5DMm: unfortunately Tom the tv told them to

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    Mute anthony davoren
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:05 PM

    @tbEE5DMm: why does Tom Walsh only care about all the other atrocities and not Israel’s one

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    Mute tbEE5DMm
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:20 PM

    @anthony davoren: I care about all of them

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    Mute Niall English
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:25 PM

    @tbEE5DMm: who cares about Palestine or Israel. doesn’t affect us one bit. no respect for armchair humanitarian. if you really care, go out there and support them.

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    Mute Richard Ford
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    Aug 11th 2024, 7:11 PM

    @Sean Money: How do you know that the people were aware that Hamas were amongst them? You’re inferring that the victims are in some way responsible for being slaughtered. Given that Gaza has been flattened, that huge numbers of Palestinians have been forcibly removed from their homes and that there are so many no go areas for the Palestinian population what exactly do you suggest that those innocent victims should have done?

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    Mute Square
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    Aug 11th 2024, 6:44 PM

    Well done Cork banks of the lee

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