Like a bolt out of nowhere, Usain Bolt is now the world’s fastest man.

The Jamaican sprinter, who doesn’t even consider the 100 meters his best race, set the world record Saturday night with a time of 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix, .02 seconds faster than the old record held by his countryman, Asafa Powell.

Bolt was using the 100 for “speed work” and to avoid having to run the more grueling 400, when, suddenly, he ran the world’s second-fastest time last month at 9.76. Even then, he said he wasn’t sure if he would give up the 400 meters for the 100 for the Beijing Olympics.