Olympic flop Trayvon Bromell now sixth fastest in history

Remember the name Trayvon Bromell — while he didn't set the Olympics on fire as expected, he’s going after all of Usain Bolt’s records.

100m star Trayvon Bromell has put his Tokyo Olympics flop behind him to set the fastest time in the world this year as he closed out the season with a stunning run in Kenya.

Racing at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi to close out the World Athletics continental tour season, Bromell beat his own season’s best in an incredible race.

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Bromell was favoured to take the 100m Olympic crown vacated by the fastest man of all-time in Usain Bolt, but was left stunned when he didn’t even make the final.

After taking it somewhat easy in the heat and finishing third in his semi-final, 0.001 of a second behind Nigeria’s Enoch Adegoke, Bromell missed the final.

The third semi-final saw the four fastest men, including eventual champion Italian Marcell Jacobs, qualify for the final and leave Bromell out in the cold.

But Bromell, who went into the Olympics with the year’s best time of 9.77 seconds eclipsed his best time in Kenya as the 26-year-old Florida native officially became the sixth fastest man in history.

Bromell is now the sixth fastest man ever. Photo by Simon MAINA / AFP

In a stunning finish to the season, Bromell and new Kenyan sprint sensation Ferdinand Omanyala went right down to the wire with the American breaking his season best with a scintillating time of 9.76 seconds, with Omanyala breaking the African record in 9.77 seconds.

Bromell, who has dealt with injury concerns throughout his career, had his first full season and took to Instagram to celebrate his season.

“I may not have grabbed the Gold in Tokyo but where I come from, I’ve already won,” he wrote. “I pray that I can continue to show you all that no matter what you go through, no one on this earth can control your fate.

“5 years ago I was under surgery, 2017-19 I was home watching track from the couch. Now it’s 2021 and I’m the 6th fastest in history. I’m a keep fighting because I want yall to keep fighting. Never give up!”

Bromell now joins Christian Coleman (9.76) as the sixth fastest man in history, with only Justin Gatlin (9.74), Asafa Powell (9.72), Yohan Blake and Tyson Gay (9.69), and Usain Bolt (9.58) producing faster times.

All-time, the 9.76 equals the 15th fastest time, with Bolt claiming the three fastest times and four faster than Bromell, Blake and Gatlin three times, while Gay and Powell have two.

The race was meant to be 2004 Olympic champion Gatlin’s retirement party but it’s been placed on hold after he had to settle for third.

Trayvon Bromell is a gun. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The 39-year-old American, who has twice been banned for doping, failed to qualify for this year’s Tokyo Games and was hoping to make amends in Kenya.

“I came from an injury with the hope of getting a win here,” said Gatlin, adding he will take a long break to decide his future.

“Hopefully let’s wait and see what’s in store for the new season.”

Namibian sprint sensation Christine Mboma overcame four false starts to win her seventh 200m race since Tokyo where she was forced to switch to the shorter distance after being ruled ineligible to compete in the 400m due to increased levels of testosterone.

After a slow start, the Olympic silver medallist stepped up a gear in the 50 metres to breeze past Ivorian Marie Josee and to claim victory in 22.40.

American Fred Kerley won the men’s 200m in a personal best 19.76, leading second-placed Isaac Makwala of Botswana (20.06) to make the qualifying time for next year’s world championships in Eugene, Oregon.

“It’s been a long season, but it has had so much blessings for me that after winning the 100m silver medal in the Olympics, I went on to take the Diamond League,” Kerley said.

— with AFP

Originally published as Olympic flop Trayvon Bromell now sixth fastest in history