World and Olympic triple gold medalist Usain Bolt launched his IAAF Diamond League campaign in Shanghai on Sunday with a comfortable 200m win in 19.76 seconds.
Bolt, who holds the world record of 19.19 seconds, was the only man to break the 20-second barrier, with Angelo Taylor of the US second in 20.34 seconds, followed by compatriot Ryan Bailey in 20.43 seconds.
“It was a good run, the feeling was good, but it was not easy. I am not in the best shape, but enjoyed it,” Bolt said. “I look forward to the next race.”
PHOTO: AFP
Bolt and Chinese hurdling star Liu Xiang were highlight attractions at the second stop of the 14-event Diamond League competition.
It was Bolt’s first race in China since his triple-gold Olympic performance at the 2008 Beijing Games and the crowd roared him on as he jogged a victory lap around the stadium.
“I really wanted a good time, I’m not going to China very often,” Bolt said.
Bolt ran 9.86 seconds — the fastest time of the year so far — to win his season-opening 100m at South Korea’s Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting last week. His fastest 200m of the season was 19.56 seconds in Kingston earlier this month.
The 100m and 200m world record holder is being pursued by Tyson Gay of the US and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell, who have both made it clear they aim to beat him this year — and Bolt himself has said it could be the season to do it.
With Gay and Powell staying away from Shanghai, however, Bolt dominated the 200m race, part of what he is calling an “off-season” in which he intends to get as much rest as possible ahead of next year’s world championships.
Bolt’s 200m race in Shanghai helps set the stage for three upcoming Diamond League showdowns with Gay, who fired a new warning in Bolt’s direction by shattering the 44-year-old straight line 200m world record on Tuesday last week.
“If Tyson decides that he wants to make a world record, it’s fine by me. If he wants to chase anybody down, I have no problem,” Bolt told reporters. “I’m just going out there to run and try to stay unbeaten this season, so I’m looking forward to the clashes.”
Fans screamed as Chinese star Liu stepped on to the track for the men’s 110m hurdles. Liu, who complained of pain in his Achilles tendon before the race, defied his own expectations with a third-place finish of 13.40 seconds.
David Oliver of the US won the race with the fastest time of the season at 12.99 seconds, while China’s Shi Dongpeng was second at 13.39 seconds.
All eyes, however, seemed to be on hometown hero Liu, who is seeking to regain world-class form after finishing seventh in his international return at the World Indoor Championships in March.
Liu, who at the 2004 Athens Games became the first Chinese man to win Olympics track and field gold, is striving for his one-time record-breaking form after an Achilles heel injury force him out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“Every athlete will have ups and downs. I still have confidence in myself,” Liu said, adding he was fighting through the pain and was still aiming to compete at the London Olympics.
“Going from an athlete that no one can beat to an athlete that’s been conquered by someone who never beat him before [teammate Shi], that’s something I have to deal with, keep calm and find out where I can improve,” he said.
US sprinter Carmelita Jeter continued her women’s 100m winning streak with a time of 11.09 seconds. World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser of Jamaica came second, finishing in 11.29 seconds.
Season-best performances at the meet included Kenyans Augustine Kiprono Choge (men’s 1,500m) and Gladys Jerotich Kipemoi (women’s 3,000m steeplechase), Ethiopian Entayehu Ejigu (women’s 5,000m) and Lashinda Demus of the US (women’s 400m hurdles).
The Diamond League awards points depending on performances throughout the 14-event program, with the winners of the 16 meets taking home a diamond trophy and a cash prize.
For its next round, the Diamond League moves to Oslo for its first European stop on June 4.
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