OSTRAVA, Czech Republic, CMC – World and Olympic champion Usain Bolt delivered on his promise of a sub-ten clocking as he continued his domination of the Golden Spike Meeting by speeding to an easy win in the 100 metres here yesterday.
The 29-year-old clocked a season-best 9.98 seconds, easily effortlessly swatted away competition from Barbadian Ramon Gittens, to cross the line under little or no pressure, and extend his winning streak in the Central European city.
Gittens was second in a season-best 10.21 seconds while Iranian Hassan Taftian was third in 10.25.
Jason Rogers of St Kitts and Nevis finished sixth in 10.41 with Bahamian Adrian Griffith trailing in last in 10.43.
“I am happy about one thing and that is that I came out injury free. My execution was better I think,” Bolt told reporters afterward. “I have a lot more work to do and a couple of months to do it so I’ll be fine.”
The 29-year-old, targeting an unprecedented clean sweep of the sprints for the third straight Olympics in Rio this summer, entered the event on the back of a sluggish 10.05 in his season-opener at the Cayman Islands Invitational last week.
And after getting over a hamstring scare earlier in the week, Bolt promised to dip below ten seconds once there was good weather.
With the conditions cooperating, Bolt was fastest away from the blocks and though he was challenged over the first 30 metres by Gittens, he pulled away over the last 60 metres to complete an uncomplicated win.
Despite the success, however, Bolt said he was still not entirely pleased with the outing.
“I thought my first 40 or 50 metres was kind of sluggish and that’s always needed to get up to speed quickly, so that’s why I ran so slowly because my first 40 was kind of sluggish,” he lamented.
“From the time I left the blocks, I got a good reaction, I executed well but the power behind the start was not good … I knew if I got a good transition into the last 60 it would have been much better.”
Bolt was one of three Jamaicans registering victories with Javon Francis capturing the men’s 400 metres and Christine Day taking the women’s equivalent.
The 21-year-old Francis clocked 44.87 seconds to finish ahead of American Tony McQuay in 45.17 and Pavel Maslák of the Czech Republic, who was third in 45.46 seconds.
Bahamian Michael Mathieu finished last in 46.83 seconds.
Day, meanwhile, raced to 51.09 seconds to beat Canadian Carline Muir into second in 51.84, while Jessica Beard of the United States was third in 51.88.
In the 400 metres hurdles, Jamaican Kaliese Spencer narrowly missed out when she finished second in 55.43 seconds, behind winner Joanna Linkiewicz of Poland who was timed at 55.40.