Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), May 24, 2010
THE world’s fastest man Usain Bolt clocked a superb 200 metres time of 19.76 seconds to win on the second stop of the IAAF Diamond League tour in Shanghai despite being given a difficult lane draw at the Chinese venue.
Bolt arrived at the meeting to find he had been given lane six, which is not considered the best when attacking the crown of the bend after the start of the race.
It seemed to make little difference to the 23-year-old Jamaican, however, as he made light of a strong breeze in the home straight to produce a world-class performance.
“I did not choose my lane, I did not know I was in lane six. I actually only found out when I got to the track, unless my agent (Ricky Simms) talked to my coach and agreed it,” said Bolt.
Whether Simms and Bolt’s coach were experimenting and giving the world record holder the chance to test himself out in an unhelpful lane has not been revealed.
But it made little difference as Bolt spreadeagled the opposition to win in a time which only Tyson Gay and Wallace Spearmon of the current crop of sprinters have bettered.
Bolt, whose next outing is over 300m at the IAAF World Challenge in Ostrava on Thursday, again insisted he has no plans to chase world records this season. His decision remains firm despite his arch-rival Gay insisting last week in Manchester – where he achieved a world 200m best performance in a straightline race – he might have to go faster than his world-leading marks if he is to beat Gay and Asafa Powell.
Bolt reiterated: “I said I’m not going to chase the records. I said it doesn’t matter if I get beaten this season because this season is the off season.
“If Tyson decides that he wants to beat the record, fine. For me, even if he wants to go chasing, I don’t.
“I’m just going to lead the run and try to stay unbeaten this season. So I am looking forward to the clashes.”
Jenny Meadows excelled in her opening 800m race of the season, finishing second behind former world champion Janeth Jepkosgei but beating world leader Kenia Sinclair.
Jepkosgei, who narrowly defeated Meadows for the World Championships silver medal in Berlin last August, on this occasion won by 0.28secs in a time of two minutes 01.06 seconds.
Meadows said: “I got past Sinclair and that was great because she’s already run 1:58 and I was gaining on Jepkosgei, but fair play, in the final 30m I wasn’t getting any closer. “But I’m happy with this first race and, against such a good field, I didn’t expect to finish second – if anyone had told me I would, I wouldn’t have believed them.
“This is a great start, but as they say, you don’t want to have too much too early.”
Michael Bingham, who still lives in the US and was given British citizenship three years ago, was an excellent third over 400m.
Bingham clocked 45.84 as former Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner won by 0.29 from fellow American David Neville in 45.41.
Steve Lewis cleared 5.40m to finish seventh in the pole vault, one place behind Olympic champion Steve Hooker, who had an off day
man made diamonds
About the Author
