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Usain Bolt, the fastest man on earth, will be sorely missed at the 2021 Olympics. His 9.63s Olympic record as well as 9.58s World record in the 100m dash are yet to be shattered.
In Bolt's absence, the tag of the world's fastest man is up for grabs at the 2021 Olympics. The Tokyo Games will see a new champion in the event.
Trayvon Bromell (USA), Akani Simbine (South Africa) and Andre De Grasse (Canada) will be the top runners to look out for in Tokyo. Here's a rundown of the challengers for the world's most prestigious sprint title.
Predictions for men's 100m gold medal
Trayvon Bromell has been the fastest man in the world this year and is the favorite to take Bolt's place. In fact, the Jamaican sprint legend himself named Bromell as his successor.
Bromell's win at the US trials put him at the top of the charts. The American sprinter clocked the two fastest times of 2021 - 9.77 in Miramar, Florida, and 9.80 to win the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.
Trayvon Bromell's chances of winning the Olympic gold
Bromell's 9.77 in Florida was the seventh fastest time in history. However, he has had a substandard finish in the heats of the Tokyo Olympics. He finished fourth with a time of 10.05 seconds and seemed to be struggling.
With 2004 Olympic champion Justin Gatlin and 200m world champion Noah Lyles failing to qualify, Tokyo is a good opportunity for Bromell to claim the throne.
He will look to improve on his eighth-place finish in the 100m final at Rio 2016.
Akani Simbine's chances of winning the 100m dash in Tokyo
Commonwealth Games champion Akani Simbine was not at his best in the first round, having to work hard to get to the front in a time of 10.08.
Simbine started the season with a 10.00 seconds win in 100m at the Athletix Invitational in Johannesburg. He anchored South Africa to gold in the men's 4 × 100m relay at the 2021 World Relays. Simbine's personal best is his 9.84 seconds finish in Hungary, which also set a new African record, taking one hundredth off the previous mark set by Olusoji Fasuba in 2006. Simbine is the current African record holder.
Simbine was fifth at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the men's 100m but will hope for a podium finish in Tokyo. He finished fifth at the 2017 World Championships in London and fourth in Doha two years ago.
After his good run at the championships, Simbine will use the confidence to better his timing on Sunday.
De Grasse's quest for Olympic glory
Canada's Andre De Grasse had a dream run at the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning three medals. He won 100m bronze behind Bolt and Gatlin with a timing of 9.91 seconds and 200m silver in 20.02 seconds. De Grasse became the first Canadian to win a medal in 200m since Percy Williams at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.
He returned to form at the 2019 World Championships, taking 100m bronze and 200m silver.
The 26-year-old clocked the quickest heat time of 9.91s in Tokyo. The Canadian's previous best timing of the year was 9.99 seconds, which he achieved earlier in the year in Florida.
Having already shown himself to be a man for the big occasion, De Grasse will fancy his chances of claiming his first Olympic gold.
The 2021 Olympics will be historic, as the men's 100m dash will finally have a new winner. After Bolt's heroics in the previous editions, the world eagerly awaits the new champion.
