The moments before the final of the men’s 100-metre dash figure to be the most dramatic of the entire Olympic Summer games.

A stadium full of spectators will watch in pin-drop silence as eight of the swiftest athletes in history coil in the starting blocks, set to blast down the track at the crack of the starter’s pistol.

Roughly 9.7 seconds later someone will have ridden a combination of talent, hard work, luck and execution to an Olympic championship and an equally important title in a world where marketing is king.

Agents and former athletes say a win in the most-watched event in the Olympics sets up the winner for both short-term endorsements and long-term business opportunities, making the 100-metre final the most lucrative 10 seconds (or less) in sport.

“I tell athletes if they can leverage relationships with the media they’ll get great endorsements out of it,” says Kris Mychasiw, a track and field agent based in Montreal. “If Usain Bolt wins that can turn into a quick million dollars overnight.”

By now we’re familiar with the Olympic endorsement formula: previously unknown competitor captures a gold medal and the hearts of a nation, then parlays new fame into a series of sponsorships.

Think Daniel Igali, whose wrestling gold medal in propelled him from obscurity to Cheerios boxes across Canada in 2000.

But that pattern doesn’t apply to this weekend’s field in the men’s 100 metres, where the top contenders are nearly as accomplished as pitchmen as they are as sprinters.

According to Forbes, world record holder Usain Bolt, whose sponsors range from Puma to Hublot to Caribbean wireless provider Digicell, makes $20 million yearly in endorsements.

Similarly, Bolt’s biggest rivals, fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake (Adidas, Lime Communications) and American Tyson Gay (Adidas, Gillette) enter the weekend’s competition with well-rounded sponorship portfolios.

But that doesn’t mean their earning potential is maxed out.

Mychasiw says an Olympic medal makes a sprinter much more valuable to meet organizers on the pro track circuit. So while Blake currently collects an estimated $220,000 (U.S.) to show up at a top-level competition, a win in London would put him on line with Bolt, who banks appearance fees that can exceed $300,000.

Meanwhile, Canadian sprint legend and 1996 gold medalist Donovan Bailey points out that most sponsorship deals with sprinters include bonuses for winning Olympic medals.

But he says the longer-term payoff comes for athletes who can leverage the fame gained in 10 intense seconds into years’ worth of business opportunities.

“Anybody who wins the race will establish themselves to have finances that can support them for the rest of their life,” Bailey says. “The Olympics is the biggest stage on the planet and if you win you should have (lucrative) relationships going forward.”

In this 100-metre battle of the personal brands, Bolt enters the competition with a clear advantage. Along with his unmatched success on the track — he currently holds three world records in sprints and relays — he’s an effortless and engaging interview whose smile shines as brightly as his gold medals.

The sports marketing world values that combination of traits.

When Business Week released it’s annual list of the world’s 100 most powerful athletes Bolt ranked 48th, one spot ahead of boxing superstar and one-man industry Floyd (Money) Mayweather.

And replacing him as the most marketable Olympic sport athlete in the world isn’t as simple as crossing the finish line first.

In June boxer Tim Bradley won a decision over Manny Pacquiao but is still a stranger to most mainstream fans, while Pacquiao remains the most popular pitchman in boxing.

Similarly, Mychasiw says taking surpassing the Bolt’s brand means having a personality to match your performance.

“Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake are both very quiet guys who just get the job done,” says Mychasiw, COO of the Surin Group sports agency. “But in a certain way that also limits what they can get . . . Bolt is more of a showman and that’s a smart move, marketing-wise.”

Nor is the brand boost that comes with winning the 100-metre title tied to geography.

While Michasiw says an athlete like Bolt or Blake would triple their endorsement haul if they were American, Chicago-based marketing agent Quency Phillips says there’s one massive obstacle standing between U.S. sprinters and the mainstream marketability NFL and NBA stars enjoy.

“If it’s not a major team sport American really don’t care,” says Phillips, CEO of the Que Agency. “The (buzz) is going to be short-lived because we in the U.S. haven’t seen the profitability of track in comparison to other countries.”

The favourites:

Usain Bolt, Jamaica

Main selling point: Dominance. Holds world records in the 100m and 200m, and a win on Sunday would make him the first man to cross the line first in consecutive Olympic 100-metre finals.

Everybody loves: A winner.

Potential drawback: Overexposure. He’s been a worldwide phenomenon for four years, so how much more can his brand possibly grow? Plus, other competitors are copying his pre-race preening, which make’s Bolt’s showmanship a little less unique.

Yohan Blake, Jamaica

Main selling point: Hunger and hard work. Nicknamed “The Beast” because he trains so voraciously, and a victory in London is further proof that David can knock off Goliath if he works at it.

Everybody loves: An underdog.

Potential drawback: Personality. He’s serious and successful, but does he have the intangibles — sense of humour, media savvy — that make Bolt such an appealing pitchman?

Tyson Gay, USA

Main selling point: He’s the comeback kid. At this time last year he was recuperating from serious surgery on his injured hip. A gold medal on Sunday caps the kind of bounce-back story that warms the hearts of fans and sponsors.

Everybody loves: A comeback.

Potential drawback: Again, personality. Gay’s a winner but gives interviews with all the gusto of a man reading out letters on an eye chart.

Asafa Powell, Jamaica

Main selling point: Patience and perseverance. He’s a former world record holder with a reputation for performing below expectations when facing top competition. A win for him is a victory for anyone who hoping to overcome a stubborn problem – shyness, weight, self-doubt. No shortage of people like that.

Everybody loves: Someone who can relate to their struggle.

Potential drawback: Has spent his career as the John Oates to Bolt’s Darryl Hall. Is he really ready for the spotlight?

Justin Gatlin, USA

Main selling point: Comeback kid, 2.0. The 2004 Olympic champ sat out four seasons after a doping test revealed excessive levels of testosterone. In his second full season back on the circuit he’s competing with the world’s best and passing drug tests.

Everybody loves: Redemption.

Potential drawback: Did we mention the flunked drug test? Fans and sponsors love redemption only if they can forgive or forget the sin.