Usain Bolt storms to impressive 200 metre victory in Jamaica

Usain Bolt clocked a time of 19.56 in the 200 metres sprint in Jamaica. Competing in front of 30,000 home fans at the Jamaica International Invitational in Kingston on Saturday, Bolt was in ominous form as he raced away from his rivals to cross the line in 19.56 seconds – 0.4sec ahead of second-placed American Wallace Spearmon.

"I felt good, the race was a good one and I am on target to have a good season," said the triple Olympic champion and double world record-holder. "My training has been going well and I am pleased with my performance.”

 Related ArticlesGay confident he can challenge BoltEngland commit to Commonwealth GamesI have missed out on a great marathon experienceOur team's marathon effortFlat tyres end Weir's title hopesWorld Athletics: Usain Bolt breaks 200 metres world record in 19.19 seconds

Bolt’s display was all the more impressive because the race was run into a 0.8 metres per second headwind. Running from lane five, he was ahead by 60 metres and, by the finish, had a 10-metre advantage over Spearmon, the world bronze medallist.

His winning time has been bettered only three times before – twice by Bolt himself with his world record records of 19.19sec at last year’s World Championships in Berlin and 19.30sec at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Michael Johnson holds the third quickest time with his old world mark of 19.32sec.

Bolt insists he has no interest in chasing world records this year but such a brilliant performance so early in season suggests it is time to heed his oft-quoted mantra: “Anything is possible”.

Last year, Bolt managed to smash his own 100m and 200m world records on the back of a late start to his winter training that was further delayed by injuries he sustained in a car accident.

With a trouble-free winter behind him this year, more great things surely lie ahead for the giant Jamaican, who will run his first 100m of the season in Daegu, Korea, on May 19 before making his Diamond League debut over 200m in Shanghai on May 23.

American Tyson Gay, the world’s second fastest man, was also in action in Kingston but avoided an early confrontation with his rival by opting to compete in the 400m. He won comfortably in 45.05sec.

Meanwhile, 19 year-old Chris Thompson leapt to third on the all-time British 10,000m list behind Jon Brown and Eamonn Martin after clocking 27min 29.61sec at a meeting at Stanford University in the United States. His time qualifies him for this summer’s European Championships in Barcelona.

View the Original article

Higgins: My conscience is clear

John Higgins has insisted he would never fix a snooker match and declared his conscience was "100% clear" following the newspaper allegations that he agreed to throw frames in return for money.

Commenting for the first time since the allegations emerged in the News of the World, 34-year-old Higgins claimed he only said he would participate in the deal so he could get out of a potentially threatening situation.

He said in a statement read out on BBC2 prior to the World Championship final: "Can I say I have never been involved in any form of snooker match-fixing. In my 18 years playing professional snooker I have never deliberately missed a shot never mind intentionally lost a frame or a match."

He explained: "Those who know me are aware of my love for snooker and that I would never do anything to damage the integrity of the sport I love. My conscience is 100% clear."

Higgins, the sport's new world number one, was suspended by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, and his manager Pat Mooney resigned from the WPBSA board.

Both men were secretly videoed by an undercover reporter who was posing as a businessman at a meeting which the News of the World say took place in the days following Higgins' World Championship second-round defeat to Steve Davis.

"In all honesty I became very worried at the way the conversation developed in Kiev," Higgins said in his statement.

"When it was suggested that I throw frames in return for large sums of money, I was really spooked, I just wanted to get out of the hotel and onto the plane home.

"I didn't know if this was the Russian mafia or who we were dealing with. At that stage I felt the best course of action was just to play along with these guys and get out of Russia."

View the Original article

Wednesday suffer relegation heartache

Sheffield Wednesday were relegated from the Coca-Cola Championship after a dramatic match at Hillsborough against Crystal Palace.

Only victory over the visitors would ensure survival, but they could only manage a 2-2 draw. Alan Lee put Palace ahead in the first half, only for Leon Clarke to level matters just before the break. Palace went ahead again thanks to a second half Darren Ambrose goal, but the Owls fought back with a Darren Purse shot with just three minutes of normal time remaining.

Five minutes of injury time ensured a nervous end to the game but Palace, who had 10 points deducted this season for going into administration, managed to hang on.

At the other end of the table Blackpool celebrated securing a play-off place with a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol City.

Nicky Maynard gave City a surprise first-half lead with a wonderful opportunist strike, but Brett Ormerod levelled nine minutes after the break to earn the hosts a share of the spoils.

That draw meant a victory for Swansea over Doncaster at the Liberty Stadium would mean the south Wales side made the play-offs at the Seasiders' expense.

But they could only manage a goalless draw and to make matters worse had a Lee Trundle strike disallowed in the dying seconds.

Champions Newcastle finished their season on a high with a 1-0 victory at QPR. Peter Lovenkrands' 71st-minute strike ensured they signed off their brief stint outside the top flight with a win.

West Brom - already guaranteed second place and like Newcastle a quick return to the Barclays Premier League - scored a late equaliser to deny Barnsley the three points. Hugo Colace put the visitors in front with an hour on the clock, but West Brom's player of the season Graham Dorrans popped up with a stoppage-time equaliser.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest ended the season third in the table with a 2-2 draw at Scunthorpe, while Leicester beat Middlesbrough 2-0. Cardiff went down 2-0 at Derby. Forest will take on Blackpool in the play-offs, while Leicester will meet Cardiff.

View the Original article