Home favourite Jessica Ennis-Hill was also competing on Friday, but it was Bolt the majority – including a group of journalists from Rio who had travelled especially to make sure the world record holder had fully recovered from his hamstring tear – came to see.
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Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has hit back at Justin Gatlin, accusing the American rival of “disrespect” ahead of next month’s Rio Olympics.
The six-time Olympic champion ran home in 19.89 seconds – 0.15 secs ahead of Panama’s Alonso Edward with Britain’s Adam Gemili third.
Bolt, who turns 30 next month, said: “I thought it wasn’t ideal”. But I am feeling good.
“I wanted to come out here with a vengeance to show these girls what I have”, said the 23-year-old, who defeated the three women who will represent the United States in Rio.
“I’m happy about that and I’m going to Rio to defend my titles”.
To the human eye it appeared much quicker and it was sharply rounded down to 12.20sec-one hundredth of a second faster than Donkova.
The 28-year-old, who spoke to USA journalists in a conference call after her record-breaking run, admitted she let the cut-throat nature of the U.S. trials – where only the top three finishers book Olympic berths – get to her.
Harrison led an American sweep of the top four places and shaved 0.01 seconds off the world standard, a record head by Bulgaria’s Yordanka Donkova since August 20, 1988.
Brianna Rollins (12.57), Kristi Castlin (12.59) and Ali Nia (12.63), all Rio-bound after finishing 1-2-3 in the USA trials, finished in the same order behind Harrison.
“I want to do well, but I have to keep doing what I’m doing”. He was kept in the Jamaican Olympic team despite injury concerns. I wasn’t that impressed.
Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut run a slow 10.02 seconds to win the men’s 100m finals. She waved at the cameras in disappointment, only to find out that her score was corrected to reflect 12.20 seconds, a new world record.
“The pressure of already having the American record and being so close to the world record is only going to push me to go for the world”, she said on Thursday.
Third place went to Katarina Johnson-Thompson thanks to a personal best 1.95m clearance.
The 29-year-old has previously stated that Rio would be his final Games – he turns 30 on the final day of competition – with a retirement date set for after next year’s world athletics championship at London’s Olympic Stadium.
“Breaking the British record blows my mind a bit”, said Muir. It’s Kelly Holmes’s Olympic gold medal record. It’s great to have. You can always learn and I’m very lucky to be in that period where he is competing before he does end up retiring. I run for medals.
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It was only good enough for fifth place as Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas took victory in a world-leading 49.55.
