9.58s and 19.19s

Nine-point-five-eight and nineteen-point-one-nine. Nine-point-five-eight ... [pause] ... nineteen-point-one-nine.

Now, let's try and get our heads around those astonishing figures. Each of them shaved ... sorry, wrong word ... chopped 0.11 seconds off the old marks. Taking 0.11 seconds off sprint records is unheard of. Well, it was unheard of until Usain Bolt came along.

Bolt turned 23 yesterday (Friday) and sprinters don't usually peak until their late twenties. How much quicker can he go? Can he break 9.5s and 19s? I'll be amazed if he doesn't because he didn't seem to be exerting himself unduly in Berlin.

Where does the Jamaican stand amongst the pantheon of sporting greats? Has he done enough to merit being mentioned in the same breath as Muhammad Ali, Pele, Diego Maradona, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Babe Ruth, Don Bradman, Michael Jordan & Co?

I think he most definitely has. It might be a tad early but I'm going to predict that by the end of his career, he will go down as the greatest sportsman of all time.

If you think that's a rash call, just contemplate those times again: 9.58s for the 100m and 19.19s over 200m. A week ago, I wouldn't have believed it possible. Now, I'm wondering how much lower the great man can go.