Bolt is back

London, July 23

Usain Bolt delivered on his top billing by winning the 200m at the London Diamond League on Friday but the Jamaican was upstaged for once as American sprint hurdler Kendra Harrison broke one of the oldest world records in the book.

Bolt, running his first 200m race for a year in his last outing on the track before the Olympics, struggled for his usual rhythm as he laboured to victory in 19.89s. However, he was delighted to get through Friday’s race uninjured and can now go away and fine-tune for his attempt at the triple-triple of 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay golds in Rio.

Harrison, however, will be watching the Games on TV having finished sixth in the 100m hurdles at the US trials after breaking the national record in May. She earned some consolation — as well as a $50,000 bonus — on Friday with a stunning world record.

After delivering a silky smooth performance to win, the clock initially showed a modest 12.58s. However, it was quickly corrected to 12.20, one hundredth of a second faster than the mark set by Bulgaria’s Yordanka Donkova in 1988 - four years before Harrison was born. Brianna Rollins (12.57), Kristi Castlin (12.59) and Ali Nia (12.63), all Rio-bound after finishing 1-2-3 in the US trials, finished in the same order, behind Harrison on Friday.

“I wanted to come out here with a vengeance to show that even though I won’t be going to the Olympics I had to give it all I had,” said Harrison, who collapsed to the track in tears when she saw the revised time. There was a more muted celebration for Bolt, who nevertheless delighted the crowd by winning then spending his usual remarkable amount of time signing autographs, posing for photos and giving endless media interviews.

After a steady start he led halfway round the bend, but only just. As he hit the straight and the crowd expected the sort of surge that brought him three Olympic golds on the same track four years ago, it didn’t happen. Rocking noticeably, he had to work all the way to the line for a time considerably shy of LaShawn Merritt’s season-leading 19.74. Panama’s Edward Alonso was second in 20.04s with Briton Adam Gemili third. —  Reuters