Usain Bolt, the world junior champion at 200 metres last year, was sick yesterday, forcing the Jamaican's withdrawal from the 400m semi-finals.
The 16-year-old is fully recovered from his stomach bug now, though, if his 21.12sec heat-winning performance this morning is anything to judge by. Bolt was easing up, running into a headwind and the 1.99m (6ft 5in) teenager also had to cope with the tight bend in lane two, but the world record-holder for his age group with 20.25 set in winning his national senior title already looks capable of going faster still.
"I think I can set a new personal best here because the track is new, and that's a bonus," he said.
"I was a little sick yesterday, so I couldn't run the 400m. But I took the medicine that they gave me and I now feel fine."
Bolt's rivals were probably sick to their stomachs at the prospect of catching him, though: from the other six heats, Britain's Jamahl Alert looked sharp, clocking a PB 21.29sec despite a 2.3m/s headwind in heat four, a feat his team mate, Andrew Watkins, matched in the next heat, which he won in 21.35.
Michael Grant, from the United States, though, was the pick of the rest with his 20.88 personal best in heat six.
