Usain Bolt LOSES 100 Meter Dash ... In Meaningless Race

Usain Bolt just got his Jamaican butt kicked in a 100m race in Rome ... but it's only because he probably wasn't trying.

Bolt was competing in something called the Rome Golden Gala Diamond League meet on Thursday ... and came in SECOND ... right behind Team USA superstar Justin Gatlin.

For the record, Bolt is the current World Record holder in the 100m -- 9.58 that he set in 2009.

He finished Thursday's race with a time of 9.95.

See ... he wasn't even trying.