ALWAYS ON TIME BOLT WIN CONTEST RACE

 Bolt strikes gold: Usain storms to 100m glory and he answers his critics with resounding victory in 9.63 seconds

Usain Bolt sensationally defended his coveted title as the fastest man on the planet tonight as he sprinted to glory in an Olympic record time of 9.64 seconds.

In front of a global TV audience estimated at up to two billion, the 25 year-old Jamaican answered all the questions about his fitness and state of mind to retain his 100-metre sprint crown in what had been billed ‘the greatest’ race of London 2012 – and certainly the most anticipated.

Known around the world as ‘Lightning Bolt’, he lived up to the legend to run the second-fastest time ever and beat his fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake, who claimed silver with a time of 9.75, and American Justin Gatlin, who won bronze in 9.79.

Left trailing were American Tyson Gay and Bolt's fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell.

Champion again: Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 100-metre final in the Olympic Stadium in London

Outright winner: Usain Bolt streaks clear of the field to claim gold from lane seven in one of the most eagerly awaited Olympic events ever

Showman: Usain Bolt celebrates his victory by striking his customary lightning bolt pose in the Olympic Stadium in London

The race had been billed as the ‘hottest ticket’ of London 2012 with people paying prices of up to £725 to be among those in the stadium who could forever say 'I was there'.

In Britain alone the TV audience was expected to be about 15million – a quarter of all Britons – with theatres and cinemas putting on special screenings that had begun in time to the semi-finals earlier in the evening.

Despite earlier heavy rain and soggy conditions, thousands who had been at other venues inside the Olympic park on so-called ‘Super Sunday’ and ‘Showdown Sunday’ stayed to watch the race on the big screens.