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Story highlights
- Bolt retains men's 100-meter title
- First Olympian to win three in a row
- American Justin Gatlin took silver medal
Rio de Janeiro (CNN)It's become the sporting spectacle of the 21st century -- Usain Bolt arrives at an Olympic Games and walks away with the 100-meter gold medal.
While his days of breaking world records over the distance might have passed, he's still able to deliver on the biggest stage.
Bolt does his "Lightening Bolt' pose as he celebrates winning the 100 meters.
And although it was the slowest time with which Bolt has won a major championship, it was enough to satisfy a crowd who chanted his name from the second he appeared on the big screen through to the moment he paraded the track draped in the Jamaican flag.
With fears over security and empty seats threatening to overshadow Rio 2016, he provided the good-news story everybody craved, crossing the line in 9.81 seconds to fend off the challenge of rival Justin Gatlin in Sunday's final.
And while Bolt was saluted as hero, Gatlin was cast in the role of pantomime villain.
Few Olympians will have experienced a welcome as hostile as the one afforded to the American. A divisive figure in track and field having twice served doping bans, he was booed at every turn.
Twelve years after he claimed 100m gold at Athens 2004, Gatlin was unable to dethrone Bolt as the Olympic sprint king.
Instead, as Galin tied up in the races closing quarter, he was forced to watch on as Bolt coasted towards the finish line and into the record books.
Bolt is the first Olympic sprinter to win three successive 100-meter gold medals.
Coupled with the scenes of wild celebration was an overwhelming sense of relief. Rio's Games had avoided the awkward prospect of the winner of its blue riband event being booed on the podium.
The Olympic movement, it seems, can always rely on Bolt when it needs him the most.
He added to his already gilded legacy by becoming the first athlete to win the 100-meters at three different Games. He's now the overwhelming favorite to compete a "triple-triple" by adding the 200-meter and 4 x 100-meter titles to his collection.
Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 9
Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 9
Usain Bolt of Jamaica wins the men's 100m final, becoming the first Olympic sprinter to win three consecutive 100-meter gold medals.
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Chinese diver Qin Kai proposes to silver medalist diver He Zhi.
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South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk takes the lead in the men's 400-meter final. He went on to claim the gold and set a new world record.
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Angola's Albertina Cruz Kassoma, center, is fouled by Spain's Elizabet Chavez during a women's preliminary handball match.
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Australia's David Andersen drives to the basket past Venezuela's Nestor Colmenares.
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Sarah Elizabeth Robles of the US reacts after winning bronze in the women's +75kg weightlifting.
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Iran's Saeid Morad Abdvali celebrates after winning the bronze medal in the men's Greco-Roman 75 kg competition.
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US goalie Merrill Moses saves a shot against Italy during in a men's water polo preliminary round match. The Americans won 10-7.
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The Finn Class fleet in action during their second race of the day.
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Andy Murray returns to Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in the men's tennis final. The British player retained his title.
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Bubba Watson's shoes are seen during the final round of men's golf, won by Britain's Justin Rose.
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Brazil's Larissa Franca, center, is hugged by supporters after reaching the semifinals of the women's beach volleyball tournament with partner Talita Antunes.
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Canada's Eric Lamaze on Fine Lady competes during the equestrian's show jumping first qualifier event.
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Brazil's Diego Hypolito competes in the men's floor event final of the artistic gymnastics.
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Simone Biles smiles on the podium after winning the gold medal in the women's vault event final.
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Dorian van Rijsselberghe of the Netherlands celebrates winning the overall Men's RS:X windsurfing class.
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Justin Rose of Great Britain celebrates after winning in the final round of men's golf.
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Chinese diver He Zi enters the water in the Women's 3m Springboard final. She won silver and then received a wedding proposal from her boyfriend.
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Demarcus Cousins, right, shoots against Joffrey Lauvergne of France during a men's preliminary round Group A basketball game, which the US won 100-97.
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Max Whitlock won gold in the men's pommel horse final and also triumphed in the floor exercise -- the first Olympic titles won by a British gymnast.
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American tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands celebrates after she and teammate Jack Sock beat compatriots Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram in their mixed doubles gold medal tennis match.
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Jemima Sumgong of Kenya becomes emotional during the podium ceremony for the Women's Marathon on Sunday, August 14. Sumgong is the first woman to win a gold medal in Olympic Marathon running for Kenya.
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Athletes compete in the 50m rifle 3 position qualifying event.
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Russia's duet Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina compete in the Duets Free Routine preliminaries during the synchronised swimming event. The Russians would go on to win gold.
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Players compete during Badminton Singles on Sunday, August 14.
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Bronze medalist Arthur Mariano of Brazil salutes during the medal ceremony for Men's Gymnastics Floor Exercise.
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Great Britain's Nick Skelton, riding Big Star, competes during the Equestrian Jumping Individual and Team Qualifier.
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Ukraine's fencing team celebrates after winning the men's team epee quarter-final bout against Russia.
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Colombian synchronized swimming duet Estefania Alvarez Piedrahita and Monica Sarai Arango Estrada perform during the Duets Free Routine preliminaries.
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Facundo Callioni of Argentina celebrates with team mate Manuel Brunet after their 2-1 victory in a field hockey match against Spain.
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Runners compete in the Women's Marathon on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Sunday, August 14.
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A Brazilian fan cheers before the start of the Women's Marathon.
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Members of the Brazilian military patrol the course before the start of the Women's Marathon.
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Francielle Rocha of Brazil, center, tries to get past Andela Bulatovic, left, and Katarina Bulatovic of Montenegro during a handball match between their two countries.
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Philippe Rozier of France, riding Rahotep De Toscane, looks ahead during the Jumping Individual and Team Qualifier.
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Mikko Ilonen of Finland takes a shot from the first tee at the Olympic Golf Course.
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Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon returns the birdie to Hong Kong's Yip Pui Yin during their women's singles qualifying badminton match.
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Colombia's Carlos Andres Munoz Jaramillo, in red, is pulled to the ground by Hungary's Peter Bacsi in their men's 75kg greco-roman qualification match during the wrestling event.
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Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa of Bahrain tries to stay cool by pouring water on her head as she runs alongside Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya.
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"Somebody said I can become immortal," Bolt said moments after his triumph, as the sounds of Bob Marley reverberated around the Olympic Stadium. "Two more medals to go and I can sign off. Immortal."
Bolt, meanwhile, was left unimpressed by the reception afforded to Gatlin.
"That's the first time I've gone into a stadium and they've started to boo," the 29-year-old admitted. "It surprised me."
Appearing at his fourth Olympics, Gatlin picked up a fifth medal -- albeit not the one he had hoped for.
And despite a less-than-warm reception from the crowd, Gatlin wasn't holding any grudges, instead choosing to focus on the support he received from Americans inside the stadium.
"At the end of the day you hear everything, but you have to tune that kind of stuff out," admitted Gatlin.
"They are excited, I understand that. There are a lot Usain Bolt fans, there are a lot of Jamaican fans but they don`t know me, they don't know Justin. I have worked very hard.
"You can't focus on the boos, today when I looked into the stands I saw the most American flags at any championship."
Bolt's golden shoes ahead of a golden performance.
He was also effusive in his praise for Bolt, crediting the champion with pushing him to become a better athlete.
"I have the utmost respect for Usain off the track," he added. "He is a fun, cool guy. There is no rivalry or bad blood between us. I'm a competitor. He is a competitor and has pushed me to become the athlete I am today.
"When it comes down to it I have given him his closest races all his career."
And after another defeat to Bolt, Gatlin insisted he was pleased to be able to compete alongside -- and beat -- younger sprinters.
Jennifer Bolt: The gold medal mom 03:20
"We work 365 days a year to be here for nine seconds," he said. "At the age of 34, to race these young guys and still make the podium feels so good."
For Bolt, this medal is the first part of what he hopes will become a landmark trilogy. Next up, the 200-meter heats on Tuesday.
"It's a good start," he said. "There will always be doubters. But I'm in better shape than last season."
