BEIJING, China, CMC – Usain Bolt added to his gold medal tally with a dominant performance at the IAAF World Championships 200 metres final yesterday, beating rival American Justin Gatlin into second place.
The Jamaican added the 200 metres title in a world leading time of 19.55 seconds in a race he clearly dominated. Gatlin finished in 19.74 and Anaso Jobodwana took the bronze with a South African national record of 19.87.
Gatlin looked like he might gain the advantage but then Bolt extended his strides to pull away from Gatlin towards the finish.
“I am just happy. I told you guys that I will do it. There was no doubt,” Bolt said. “I was not really focused on time.
I knew I was not in the shape for a world record. When it comes to the 200m, I am a different person,” said Bolt who now holds four world championship gold medals in the 200m.
Gatlin was gracious in defeat and the two sat down on a track-side bench chatting away.
“I’m the oldest man in the field and still running, running pretty well,” he said. “It feels good to go against this guy (Usain Bolt) right here. I’m just going to prepare myself for next year, for the Olympics and come out even stronger. My head was just to stay focused on my race.”
Bolt’s training partner Zharnel Hughes, who competes for Great Britain, posted a personal best of 20.02 behind Panama’s Alonso Edward in 19.87. Ramil Guliyev of Turkey was sixth, followed by Femi Ogunode of Qatar and Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade.
Reuters/Lucy Nicholson
Shaunae Miller gave the Bahamas their second medal of the Cham-pionships with a silver in the Women’s 400m in a personal best time of 49.67.
Allyson Felix clocked a world leading 49.26 to take the gold for the United States and Shericka Jackson of Jamaica took the bronze in a lifetime best 49.99.
Christine Day, Stephenie Ann McPherson and Novlene Williams-Mills were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
“To gain silver in such a tough race, it is just unbelievable to me,” said Miller. “And the personal best is the icing on the cake. There was high class company out there and all the girls showed amazing jobs.”
Jamaican national 200m champion Elaine Thompson looks impressive and is one of three Jamaicans in today’s final. She will join Veronica Campbell-Brown and Sherone Simpson to compete for medals.
Earlier, Fedrick Dacres of Jamaica qualifies with the best throw of 65.77m. But there were disappointments for Chad Wright (61.53) and Jason Morgan (60.85) of Jamaica as they failed to advance.
In the Women’s High Jump, Pan American Games gold medallist Levern Spencer and Jeanelle Scheper of St Lucia qualified for Saturday’s final. They both cleared 1.92m. But Pan American Games silver medallist Antiguan Priscilla Frederick’s 1.85 was not good enough to advance.
There were no other Caribbean competitors qualifying for the Women’s Long Jump Final. Chantel Malone of the BVI (6.46) and Bianca Stuart of the Bahamas (6.34) were not among the top 12 advancing.
Omar McLeod and (13.14) Hansle Parchment (13.16) of Jamaica will face the starters in the Men’s 110 metres Hurdles, joining world record holder American Aries Merritt and Sergey Shubenkov of Russia in the final.
Leevan Sands of the Bahamas managed 10th position in the Men’s Triple Jump with a best effort of 16.68m. American Christian Taylor saved the best for last with a world leading 18.21 to snatch gold with Pedro Pichardo of Cuba claiming the silver with 17.73 and Portugal’s Nelson Evora soared to 17.52 in his last jump to deny American Omar Craddock of the bronze.
