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.
With fears over security and empty seats threatening to overshadow Rio 2016, the Jamaican has 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.
The American is a divisive figure in track and field due to his two doping bans, and he was booed before both the final and his semifinal.
Gatlin, the 100m champion of Athens 2004, was unable to dethrone Bolt as the Olympic sprint king.
Bolt added to his legacy by becoming the first athlete to win the 100-meter 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.
"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 welcome 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."
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.
"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."
Away from the standout event in the schedule, the performance of the night came from Wayde van Niekerk.
The South African smashed the 400-meter world record held by track and field legend Michael Johnson to take the gold ahead of defending champion Kirani James.
And Johnson was quick to congratulate Van Niekerk, tweeting: "Congratulations @WaydeDreamer to you and your coach! Well done and deserved. Olympic Gold and World record. I know the feeling!"
The 24-year-old"s dominant run was all the more impressive considering he ran in lane eight, with James and American LaShawn Merritt, who took the bronze medal, out of his line of sight for the entire race.
Van Niekerk was quick to cite Johnson and Bolt as his inspirations, with the latter telling Van Niekerk pre-Games that he was capable of breaking one of track and fields most revered world records.
"I was over there (Jamaica) for about two weeks training," said Van Niekerk. "He"s been such a huge rock, inspiring me as an athlete.
"He told me back in Jamaica that "you will break the world record." And he came to me after (tonight) and said "I told you you can do it."
"These are guys that inspired me -- Usain Bolt, Michael Johnson, I learned from them, and even the guys that ran against me today, Lashawn Merritt, Kirani James, these are guys that inspired me."
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/14/sport/usain-bolt-justin-gatlin-olympic-games-100-meters-rio/index.html
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