Jamaica’s Usain Bolt shook off a “horrible start” to win the 100m at the Racers Grand Prix athletics meeting in 9.88sec, the second-fastest time in the world this year.
“It wasn’t a perfect race, but the good thing was that I won and I came out injury free,” said Bolt, who got away slowly but powered home, catching the field at about 50 meters and celebrating as he got to the line first to the delight of a big crowd at the national stadium in Kingston.
The sprint superstar led three compatriots under 10 seconds in a race run in a wind of one meter per second.
Nickel Ashmeade and Yohan Blake were both timed in 9.94sec, with Asafa Powell finishing in 9.98.
The race was only the fourth time that Bolt, former world record holder Powell and 2011 world champion Yohan Blake have clashed in Kingston and more than 30,000 fans turned out for the warm up for Jamaica’s Olympic trials later this month.
Running before his home crowd for the first time in about two years, Bolt said: “It’s good to be back, it has been a while since I ran here.”
Bolt improved on the 9.98sec he posted in Ostrava on May 20. With the August 5-21 Rio Games less than two months away, Bolt moved ahead of US rival Justin Gatlin on the 2016 world list, the American owning a time of 9.93 that puts him fourth-fastest in the world this year.
American Barbara Pierre was second in 11.11 and Trinidad and Tobago’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste took third in 11.15 seconds.
In other events, Shauna Miller of the Bahamas ran a personal best 22.05sec to win the women’s 200m.
The lanky runner came off the curve in second place but chased and caught American Jenna Prandin and eased away to win her second half-lap race in Kingston this year.
Miguel Francis of Antigua ran a personal best 19.88sec to win a strong men’s 200m.
Jamaica’s Julian Forte was second in 20.18 ahead of compatriot Warren Weir, who settled for third in 20.32.
American Johnny Dutch won the 400m hurdles in a world leading 48.10sec, surpassing his own 48.6 set on April 16th in the Bahamas.
Jamaican Roxroy Cato was second in 48.98 seconds and Annsert Whyte of Jamaica third in 49.25.