10.32 m/s

speed = Distance/time acceleration = speed/time.

With the second slowest reaction time, 0.165s, of the eight man field, Usain Bolt uncoiled his 1.93m frame and ambled (he ran for 80m and jogged for 20m) to a world record of 9.69s at an average speed of 10.32 m/s, but the word average should never appear in the same sentence as Usain Bolt. And what of his acceleration to 80m? How many Newtons did his 76kg mass generate to propel himself forward from his starting blocks as he transformed potential energy into kinetic? His run makes for a very interesting mechanics study.

Usain Bolt is a 21 year old 200m specialist. He first came to prominence at the age of 15 when he went under 20s to win the 200m at the World Junior Championships on his home patch in Kingston. Great things were expected of him in Athens 2004 after he ran 19.93s at the start of the season, but leg injuries curtailed his progression. When he broke Asafa Powell's 100m world record of 9.74s, in New York, in June, that was his fourth 100m race. His coach, Glen Miller, told him to run the 100m this season to improve his start for the 200m.

So how fast can he really go? If he had run flat out, he would have probably stopped the clock in the 9.5x s. If the Jamaica 4 x 100m team can get the baton round, we may yet see another world record because he can probably go much faster from a standing start.

No pre-race jitters like his older compatriot, who's anxiety was as illuminating as the neon signs that light up New York's Times Square. Observing him at the start, as he enjoyed the dancehall music playing over the PA system, he came across as the 21 year old that he is. He'll be at his peak in 5 years time - what a scintillating prospect!

He has completely torn up the rule book - YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO RUN THE 100m LIKE THAT!! Unconventional Usain ruled the day and to think he didn't realise that he had broken the world record until after he had completed his victory lap - he just wanted to win. Let's hope his plan to just win the 200m allows us to witness more spectacular unconventionality.

For a detailed breakdown of Usain Bolt's sensational 100m run, read this.