Usain Bolt in Shanghai (© Errol Anderson)
Less than two years since his leap to the forefront of the sporting world at the Beijing Olympics, Usain Bolt made his return visit to China a memorable one as the IAAF Diamond League resumed at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting on Sunday.
Bolt pleased with ‘good run’
According to script, the Jamaican superstar dominated the men’s 200m in his IAAF Diamond League debut, making good on a pre-race promise of a “fast time”. A few metres clear of the field as his towering figure hit the straight, Bolt powered on and dramatically increased the gap before crossing the line in 19.76. Conservative by his lofty standards perhaps, but a mark that made the Jamaican’s personal top-10 list, and more importantly, indicated that his early season form is progressing just fine.
“It was a good run overall,” said Bolt, whose run came just four days after his 9.86 world leader in the Daegu 100m. Bolt was well shy of his 19.56 world leading dash from Kingston on 1 May, but said that the two runs were produced under widely different circumstances.
“In Kingston it was my first race and in front of my home crowd, and it wasn’t windy,” he said. “And here it was a little chilly.” He was nonetheless pleased, and added that his first preliminary report from coach Glen Mills was a positive one as well.
Angelo Taylor, the two-time Olympic 400m Hurdles champion, showed up the more experienced sprinters in the field with his 20.34 runner-up finish, a personal best, with American Ryan Bailey third in 20.43.
The weekend’s wet and muggy conditions gave way to largely sunny skies as the meeting approached, but temperatures cooled as the action began, leaving its mark on the track as well. Nonetheless, seven world-leading marks emerged before an appreciative crowd of 29,951 at Shanghai Stadium, as the Diamond Race kicked off in 15 additional events.
>> Click here to read the rest of the report on the IAAF Diamond League Website <<
] <<
