For more than a decade and a half, Usain Bolt was able to lay claim to being the “fastest human on earth”. While he might still be the fastest human on earth, he is not competing regularly anymore. That includes the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Yes, the Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled to be held in its normal 4-year interval, which would have been in 2020. Unfortunately, the world was shut down last summer due to the COVID19 pandemic. While the virus has subsided since last July, there are still concerns about the Delta variant that is making its way across the world. The Games will go on, but it will do so without spectator participation.

Main Events

As is always the case, the Men’s 100m sprint event figures to be one of the featured events, running neck and neck with Men’s Basketball. From a betting perspective, Men’s Basketball betting offers little value due to the possible dominance of yet another top USA Basketball Team. Conversely, there are as many as five world-class sprinters who have a legitimate shot at the Gold Medal in Tokyo. Here are the current odds:

  • Trayvon Bromell Odds (USA): 11/8
  • Ronnie Baker Odds (USA): 4/1
  • Akani Simbine Odds (RSA): 11/2
  • Andre De Grasse Odds (CAN): 6/1
  • Fred Kerley Odds (USA): 8/1

Note: The odds may vary from one U.S. online bookmaker to the next.

Preview of the Race

The one thing all of the competitors in the Men’s 100m sprint event have in common is a sense of relief that Usain Bolt won’t be competing in Tokyo. He will be sorely missed by Track and Field fans after claiming the last three Gold Medals in this event.

The Jamaican-born flash of lightning took both the 100m and 200m events in 2008 (Beijing), 2012 (London), and 2016 (Rio de Janeiro). His dominance was always on display as he often looked like he was toying with the competition while always having an extra gear in reserve should he ever need it. With him out of the picture, it’s time to crown a new 100m Gold Medalist. Let’s take a quick peek at the aforementioned runners in this year’s Tokyo Olympics 100m Sprint.

Trayvon Bromell Odds (USA): 11/8

After winning the 100m event at the Diamond League meet and the Olympic Trials where he barely beat Ronnie Baker 9.85 seconds to 9.86 seconds, Bromell solidified his #1 World Ranking in this event. During the past year, he has recorded a career-best at 9.77 and looks primed for a big effort in Tokyo.

Ronnie Baker Odds (USA): 4/1

Coming off personal best in the qualifiers for the Olympic trials, Baker looked poised to upset Bromell in the finals. He just missed but has clearly improved as the year has progressed. Bromell had better bring his best because Baker looks poised to pounce. Baker’s career-best was a wind-aided 9.78 in 2018.

Akani Simbine Odds (RSA): 11/2

After barely breaking 10 seconds over the last year, there were doubts Bimbine could match the American competition. That was until he recorded a time of 9.84 seconds earlier this month at Istvan Gyulai Memorial in Hungary. That was his career-best by .05 seconds, indicating he can improve on his 5th place finish in this event in Rio de Janeiro.

Andre De Grasse Odds (CAN): 6/1

In De Grasse, bettors are looking at the bronze medal winner from the 2016 Olympics in Rio. He is a fierce competitor, but his best time this year is only 9.92 seconds. With a career-best of 9.69 in 2017, he looms as a possible upsetter should any of the top three favorites fall short of expectations.

Fred Kerley Odds (USA): 8/1

The 26-year-old Kerley is far more effective in the 400m and 400m relay events. However, he posted a career-best of 9.86 at the Olympic Trials putting him in the mix. He could be on track for a career-defining 100m final.

The Men’s 100m prelims will begin on Saturday, July 31st. The semis and final are scheduled to be held on Sunday, August 1st. The Finals will be run at 6:55 PM ET.