Lightning Bolt strikes again

Eurosport - Sat, 30 Aug 12:35:00 2008

Usain Bolt continued his unstoppable streak of form with a comprehensive win in the 100 metres at the Zurich Golden League meeting.

Usain Bolt - 0

The Jamaican treble Olympic sprint gold medallist beat a field that included six of the Olympic finalists plus 200m silver medallist Shawn Crawford.

The 22-year-old timed 9.83sec, the 14th fastest time ever, and a time beaten only by three other sprinters - the now-retired Maurice Greene, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay.

Double Olympic bronze medallist Walter Dix of the United States came second in 9.99sec, with Trinidad and Tobago's silver medallist from Beijing, Richard Thompson, in third at 10.09sec

Olympic 800m champion Pamela Jelimo of Kenya went close to beating the oldest world record in the books.

Jelimo did break her own world junior record, however, when she ran the third fastest time ever in the event.

Led magnificently through 600 metres by Russian pacemaker Svetlana Klyuka, who was fourth in the Olympic final, Jelimo clocked 1:54.01.

Only Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova (1:53.28) and Russian Nadezhda Olizarenko (1:53.43) have run faster, back in 1983 and 1980 respectively.

Jelimo's victory means she remains in contention for the one-million-dollar Golden League Jackpot, with the series' final meeting coming in Brussels next week.

It was a mixed night for the 10 other Olympic champions on show.

Cuban 110m hurdler Dayron Robles beat American archrival David Oliver by one-hundredth of a second for his third Golden League win of the season.

But Bahrain's Olympic 1500m champion Rashid Ramzi was beaten into second in the 1500m, and Belgian high jumper Tia Hellebaut crashed out at 1.85m.

Two Kenyans who failed to qualify for the Beijing Games also shone on the track in the men's 1500m and 3000m steeplechase.

Ramzi left his trademark sprint finish too late as Kenya's African champion Haron Keitany came home in 3:32.06, 0.80sec ahead of the Moroccan-born runner.

Olympic bronze medallist Sanya Richards of the United States won the women's 400m in an overdue season's best of 49.74sec, with Jamaica's Shericka Williams, who placed second in Beijing, well off the pace in fourth.

"I just want to finish the season, have fun and win the races," said Richards.

Paul Koech, a bronze medallist at the 2004 Athens Games who missed the cut for the Kenyan team for this summer's Games, won a fast 3000m steeplechase in 8:04.26 ahead of Beijing silver medallist Mahiedine Mekhissi-Banabbad of France.

"This was my Olympic Games," admitted Koech. "The pacemakers did their job well."

Reuters

Comment 1 - 19 of 19

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  1. Jamaica and Jamaicans are the best, nuff said!!

    From collin.a., on Wed 3 Sep 4:13PM

  2. With 3 gold medals and 3 world records to go with it, there is no doubt that bolt is the greatest sprinter since michael johnson to grace the sprinting world. His power and long strides make it a one man race and he will dominate his field with many years to come. I never thought i would see 19.32 broken. He is an incredible sprinter.

    From timmyg.timmyg, on Sun 31 Aug 9:27AM

  3. jamaicans have left america in their wake as having the fastest sprinters in the world and bolt got the country on the map. He can go faster!

    From timmyg.timmyg, on Sun 31 Aug 9:15AM

  4. bolt is just d best nuff said

    From Funki633, on Sat 30 Aug 1:36PM

  5. I think the reason for his supremacy in the sprints has a lot to do with his height. Sprinters come in all shapes and sizes, and when you think about it, a bigger stride is a huge advantage - if the big guy can get it going early on (many end up being better a 200 or 400). But Bolt's cracked it, he fully utilises that big stride early on in the 100, and by half way the others are chasing the minor honours! Who knows what time he'll achieve - I don't disagee with those who think 9.55ish is on the cards - come on...who'd bet against it!

    From Kevin H, on Sat 30 Aug 11:51AM

  6. guy just right below me is another @#$%.

    From spurs, on Sat 30 Aug 11:45AM

  7. hdfbkwsbkfbs foewfon ofnon onon o ncs

    From xxxfakesxxx x, on Sat 30 Aug 11:32AM

  8. baldyman074 is a @#$%. he's the one in cuckoo land.
    he's so afraid to believe. @#$%.
    bolt can easily run 9.5, retarded bald man.

    From spurs, on Sat 30 Aug 11:27AM

  9. He is the best out of Jamaica 'Out of Many one People' I hope he keep it up. Go Bolt we are all happy for you, you have done extremely well.

    From Maxine, on Sat 30 Aug 10:22AM

  10. eh...,is this guy a cousin to Akon???
    a horse in the name of a human,he is just incredible!!!

    From marcel, on Sat 30 Aug 9:47AM

  11. just like basketball......we rule d tracks!!!

    From odiachichuka, on Sat 30 Aug 8:42AM

  12. LIGHTNING BOLT RULES Z WORLD ...............

    From elnino, on Sat 30 Aug 6:54AM

  13. he is the best out there 9.55 is clearly insight u just wait and see, 100 metres record will keep falling

    From Al- Dane, on Sat 30 Aug 6:17AM

  14. considering that his record is a 9.69 with no wind while slowing down and not having the best of starts, saying that he will peak at 9.68 sounds silly.
    he can definetely be around the 9.50s, with a good start and a good reasonalbe wind maybe even faster who knows
    that s a scary thing but seems very likely, how can a man be so fast?!! damned

    From mickael, on Sat 30 Aug 4:58AM

  15. Yiannis P, I'm sorry but I reckon your living in cloud cuckoo land. A time of 9.55secs for 100m is way beyond the capacity of any human being at present. Yes Bolt is quick and I agree he can go quicker but his best will probably peak at 9.68secs and that's at a stretch. Time will tell but 9.55 is overly optimistic.

    From Baldyman, on Sat 30 Aug 2:30AM

  16. He won't break the record in little meetings. It makes sense for him to beat the record during big tournament. That is how he will make the most money how of each record...

    From meda m, on Sat 30 Aug 1:08AM

  17. And then slowed down for the last 20-30 or so. He clearly has a 9:55 right now but does not want to do it...

    From YiannisP, on Fri 29 Aug 11:54PM

  18. actually, he started late then picked up 20 metres into the race and blew past the others.

    From Emmers, Mr PP, Hola Hovito.....whichever!, on Fri 29 Aug 10:42PM

  19. 9.83 seconds? I assume he jogged the whole 100 metres this time and not just the final 20!

    From duncan m, on Fri 29 Aug 10:21PM
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