Usain Bolt's 100-meter finale didn't have the ending many were expecting, as Justin Gatlin edged Bolt and fellow American Christian Coleman on Saturday at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships.
Here is how the Twitterverse reacted to the drama at Olympic Stadium:
Starting with a little poetry ...
Before the race, some fans paid tribute in their own ways:
USAIN BOLT
- Brian Bilston (@brian_bilston) August 5, 2017
it is hard to think
there'll ever be
a better sprinter
he runs out faster
than the toner
that's in my printer
Ever the showman
As Bolt made his way out to the track for the final individual race of his career, he gave a fist pump to one of the stadium patrons:
Fist pump 👊
- BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 5, 2017
Usain Bolt is looking ridiculously relaxed.
It's 100m time.@BBCOne 📺👉 https://t.co/ss8pwsPQpq #bbcathletics #London2017 pic.twitter.com/gOLAHS0WCN
Reaction
After the finish, many reacted to Bolt's third-place finish and Gatlin's shocking win at age 35:
Usain Bolt takes bronze in his final 100m race, the only time he was beaten in a 100m final at Olympics/Worlds. pic.twitter.com/C8wsOdfQVE
- ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 5, 2017
Respect 🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/Cla7kaYvPV
- Aaron Kingsley Brown (@KingsleySC) August 5, 2017
Congratulations to the legend & honorary Londoner, @usainbolt on a fantastic career. You will always be the greatest! #Bolt #London2017 pic.twitter.com/QAMVS8Vnxs
- Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) August 5, 2017
Wow @justingatlin @__coleman I'm so proud of you guys 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
- Deaj (@ButDeajahSaid) August 5, 2017
Huge respect to Justin Gatlin for taking down the King. But Bolt ran 9.95 in the final. Gatlin 9.92. Bolt wasn't Bolt tonight.
- Jesse Washington (@jessewashington) August 5, 2017
Watched the stunning result of the men's 100 m race tonight sitting next to the 2 happiest people in the stadium: Gatlin's parents...
- Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) August 5, 2017
Gatlin beating Bolt with all that drama and hype surrounding it felt a little like watching Frazier beat Ali when I was a kid...
- Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) August 5, 2017
Bolt was so poor out the blocks, again. Reaction time 0.182. Gatlin was 0.138 so that's 0.044s, more than the margin at the end. #london2012
- Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) August 5, 2017
USA is back on top. Now it's our job to stay there. https://t.co/bt8C5NM68W
- Carl Lewis (@Carl_Lewis) August 5, 2017
The Track & Field world is going to need hours of therapy to process what just happened.
- Tim Layden (@SITimLayden) August 5, 2017
He finally got him!! Much love Gat! @justingatlin
- Darrell Hill (@B1GHomie) August 5, 2017
Yeee!! @__coleman congrats my guy!!!
- Devon Allen (@DevonAllen13) August 5, 2017
Congrats to the OG @justingatlin
- Erik Kynard Jr. (@Erik_Kynard) August 5, 2017
I'm so happy I could cry 😭
- Morolake Akinosun™ (@MsFastTwitch) August 5, 2017
CONGRATS @justingatlin!!! #TeamUSATF #IAAFWorlds
HISTORY!!!!! ♥️💙🇺🇸
- Kyra Jefferson🕊 (@kyruhjeff) August 5, 2017
Of everything I ever saw, I'll never forget watching Usain Bolt run
- Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) August 5, 2017
Real recognize real. #BeTheNext pic.twitter.com/wcaCHAQLRu
- NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 5, 2017
Cute young fans showing support for the legend Usain Bolt ⚡️ 🇯🇲#WorldChamps (📷 @ricardobibigardner) pic.twitter.com/jN8h5h32sP
- Team Jamaica (@JamaicaOlympics) August 5, 2017
Wallace Spearmon also took to Twitter after the race to respond to some of the audience who seemed to bring up Gatlin's past in the sport (he served a four-year doping suspension):
@justingatlin is a damn dog boy lol... believe when no one but you and your team does
- wallace spearmon jr (@PrinceSpearmon) August 5, 2017
This is for the kids watching at home, who have "that feeling" in their soul RIGHT NOW. You wanna get there? Remember this feeling & use it
- wallace spearmon jr (@PrinceSpearmon) August 5, 2017
Normally I wouldn't do this but I'm in rare form today. S/O to the people who commented about drugs when I tweeted about being inspired...
- wallace spearmon jr (@PrinceSpearmon) August 5, 2017
If that's what you took from my tweet, you and I probably wouldn't get along. Clearly watching a world championship isn't inspiring to you.
- wallace spearmon jr (@PrinceSpearmon) August 5, 2017
Its sad people always see the worst. Next tip: keep positive ppl around you. You'll have competition to say "you can't" they don't need help
- wallace spearmon jr (@PrinceSpearmon) August 5, 2017
The last word ...
After his final 100m race, Usain Bolt has officially clocked out. #ThisIsSportsCenter pic.twitter.com/fpfQdaC16y
- SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 5, 2017