2016 Rio Olympics: Underdog Andre De Grasse Chasing Usain Bolt

There’s certainly plenty to watch and bet on for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, but the signature event of these Olympics is clearly going to be the final of the men’s 100-metre dash on Sunday night with all eyes on two-time gold medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaica.

The world’s fastest man is a -216 favourite on Sports Interaction’s Rio Olympics track odds to win an unprecedented third gold medal in the event.

Rio Olympics Odds Make Usain Bolt Track Favourite

The preliminaries and first round of the 100 metres are Saturday morning, with the semifinal heats and final on Sunday. The final is scheduled to go off at approximately 9:25 p.m. ET from Rio de Janeiro. Bolt already has said these will be his final Olympics. He originally said he was going to retire right after these Games as Bolt will turn 30 on the day of the closing ceremony (Aug. 21).

Then Bolt changed his mind and said he would call it quits following the 2017 World Championships in London. But then Bolt got wishy-washy about that decision again and could retire after these Games. Bolt’s contract with Puma, reportedly worth $10 million, runs through the 2017 World Championships.

Bolt holds the world record in the 100 metres at 9.58 seconds, setting the mark at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. The Jamaican won gold at the 2008 Beijing Games in a then-world record time of 9.69 seconds. Bolt dominated the field so much that day that 10 metres from the finish he turned to the crowd and pounded his chest in celebration. Just think what his time would have been if he hadn’t slowed. Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Thompson won silver in Beijing with a time of 9.89 seconds. No Canadian reached the final.

Four years ago in London, Bolt set an Olympic record by winning gold in a time of 9.63 seconds. Countryman Yohan Blake won the silver in a time of 9.75 seconds. The last sprinter from Canada to win the event was Donovan Bailey in 1996 in Atlanta. His time of 9.84 seconds remains the Canadian record.

Bolt is aiming for a triple-triple in Rio as he attempts to win three more gold medals to add to the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay he won at Beijing and London. Bolt is the only person to win the 100-, 200- and 4x100m relay in consecutive Olympics. He is also targeting a new world record in the 200m. He set that record of 19.19 at the 2009 World Championships. He covered the final 100m in 9.27 seconds that day. Bolt is a -305 favourite on Olympic odds to win the 200 metres.

As for De Grasse, Rio Olympics odds have him at +1300 in the 100 metres and +1400 in the 200m. His personal best in the 100 is 9.92 seconds in August of last year in Beijing when he finished third in the World Championships. De Grasse’s fastest time this year was in July in Edmonton with a 9.99. His career best mark in the 200 is 19.88 seconds, coming last July in Toronto. De Grasse’s top mark in 2016 in the 200 is a time of 20.16 in June in England.

American Justin Gatlin is the +205 second-favourite in the 100 metres as well as No. 2 in the 200 at +377 on Olympic odds.  Gatlin ran 9.80 to win the U.S. Olympic Trials’ 100 final, the fastest time this year. Bolt’s best time this year is 9.88.

2016 Rio Olympics Odds and Predictions

Bolt will win both the 100 and 200 but not set a world record in either. And then he will ride off into the sunset by officially retiring. Andre De Grasse will win bronze in the 100 but not medal in the 200.