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.”
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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.
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