The sporting world is beginning to hold its breath as the men’s 100-metre Olympic sprint final comes into view.
Usain Bolt took gold in the blue-riband event at the last three editions of the Games in Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro.
But with the Jamaican now retired, all eyes are on a new crop of sprinters to take on the mantle of the fastest man in the world.
Bolt will be hard to eclipse totally, given his still extraordinary world record high-water mark of 9.58 seconds, but the likes of Trayvon Bromell, Ronnie Baker and Akani Simbine have shown their credentials of late.
Akani Simbine posted 9.84 recently – the second-fastest time of the year – behind only
Trayvon Bromell clocked 9.77 in Florida in June.
Ronnie Baker set a personal best time of 9.85 seconds at the Olympic Trials, finishing second to Trayvon Bromell with his winning time of 9.80 seconds
With the mentioned trio still young in their careers, whoever takes the crown on Sunday in Tokyo could become the leader of a new generation of sprinting superstars.
