Jamaican track star Usain Bolt returned from a hamstring injury to win the 200 meters at the Anniversary Games meet in London on Friday in his last tune-up prior to the Summer Olympics.
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The Jamaican proved his fitness for next month’s Rio Olympics in emphatic fashion by clocking 19.89 seconds.
That the world record was broken mere weeks after the Olympic trials by a hurdler who did not make the U.S. team raises sticky questions among American athletes, especially when the trials are tougher than the worldwide competition.
“I’m getting there. I’m not fully in shape”, Bolt said afterward. Harrison went on to say she had revenge on her mind and wanted to show the girls what she had, but she wishes the girls in Rio good luck. “I came out and for the first one in a while the execution wasn’t ideal but it’s my first one so I can’t complain”, he said. “The key thing is I came out injury free so that’s the main thing”, Bolt told the BBC.
Hours after breaking the 28-year-old 100 metres hurdles record on Friday to avenge failing to make the U.S. Olympic team, the young American revealed there is another race she wants to conquer.
Harrison finished ahead of compatriots Brianna Rollins and Kristi Castlin to surpass Yordanka Donkova’s previous mark of 12.21 set in August 1988.
Another major record to fall was Dame Kelly Holmes’ British 1500m best, Laura Muir (3:57.49) bettering a mark which had stood since the 2004 Olympics.
“At the end of the day when you command a certain power in track and field sometimes you can exercise it”, he said, alluding to preferential treatment for Bolt.
That was the second British record of the night following the 41.81sec clocked by the victorious home quartet of Asha Philip, Desiree Henry, Dina Asher-Smith and Darryl Neita, the fastest time of the year so far. It wasn’t the best of my best but it was my first one (of the year), so I’m cool with that.
“After the race at trials, we went back to see where we went wrong”, Harrison said. Me, Usain Bolt who has proven myself year (after) year that I’m the greatest.
The fastest 200m time of the year is 19.74 by United States sprinter LaShawn Merritt, while Bolt’s world record – set in 2009 – is 19.19.
Eilidh Doyle, fresh from a Diamond League win and personal best of 54.09 in the 400m hurdles in Monaco a week ago, was made to pay for a bad stutter going into the final barrier as she had to settle for fourth place in 54.70.
As is always the case at the Olympic Stadium, world record holder Renaud Lavillenie – who has never been beaten in this part of east London – won the men’s pole vault.
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Ruth Beitia took victory in the women’s high jump to extend her lead at the top of the Diamond Race.
