Usain Bolt: 9.55?

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=3583692

Immediately after Bolt's astounding gold medal 100M sprint at the Beijing Games, NBC track and field commentator, Ato Boldon, speculated, "[Bolt] just threw away a 9.59" by hot-dogging during the last 15 meters of the race. After analyzing Bolt's split times, his own coach announced that Bolt could have run a 9.52 had he not pulled up before the finish.

Well, a physicist at the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Oslo has done the math: he calculated that Usain Bolt would have finished the 100M final in Beijing between 9.55 and 9.61 seconds had he ran straight through the finish. Incredible.

My guess is that we won't have to wait too long before we see Bolt run that time in reality instead of just theoretically. In fact, I'd be shocked if we don't see Bolt run sub-9.65 by the end of next year. Going forward, who knows what's possible? 9.5's? Don't bet against it.

Only one thing is certain: the ceiling has been lifted. Rather, Bolt has blasted through it with lightning speed.