Usain Bolt (second left) winning the men's 100 metres in a world leading, National Stadium record 9.76 seconds at the Jamaica International Invitational meet on Saturday night. Bolt won ahead of American Darvis Patton (second right), 10.08, and Antiguan Daniel Bailey (right), 10.12. Wallace Spearmon (left), also of the United States, was fifth in 10.13.
- Ian Allen
Usain Bolt's stunning 100 metres performance highlighted Saturday night's Jamaica Inter-national Invitational at the National Stadium.
The meet produced five world- leading times.
Bolt, the World Championships silver medallist, raced to a stunning 9.76 seconds - the second fastest time ever in the men's 100m - two hundredths of a second outside Asafa Powell's 9.74 world record.
The national 200m record holder at 19.75 beat American Darvis Patton, who was second in 10.08, while Antiguan Daniel Bailey was third in 10.12. Wallace Spearmon, who was expected to be Bolt's main rival, finished a disappointing fifth in 10.13.
Other world-leading times came from Americans Lashinda Demus and Kerron Clement in the women's and men's 400m hurdles respectively, Tyson Gay, also of the United States, in the men's 200m, along with Jamaican Kerron Stewart in the women's 100m.
In the women's 100m, Stewart, a member of Jamaica's silver medal 4x100m team at last year's World Championships in Osaka, scorched the track to win in 10.96 - her first sub-11 seconds time. American Marashevet Hooker (11.01) was second.
Best of 11.06
Stewart was delighted.
"I could not ask for more," she said. "I just pray that it stays that way right to the Olympics," she said. She beat the previous season best of 11.06 held by Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad & Tobago. The time also went under the 11.03 meet record set three years ago by Sherone Simpson.
In the 400m hurdles, Clement, the world champion, took the men's race in 47.79, ahead of Danny McFarlane of Jamaica (48.74) and Michael Tinsely of the United States (48.84). Clement's time was also well under the meet record 48.65 set last year.
"It was a great race. I just came out here and executed my plans," Clement explained. The previous 2008 best, 48.32, was set by his compatriot Bershawn Jackson.
In the women's 400m hurdles, Demus won in 54.83, defeating Jamaican Shevon Stoddart (55.68) and American Markita James (56.79). Demus' time beat the previous season best, 54.97, by another American, Tiffany Williams.
Meanwhile, World sprint double champion Gay took the men's 200m in 20.00. He finished well ahead of Chris Williams of Jamaica (20.78), while 19-year-old Bianca Knight (22.62) upset Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (22.93) in the women's event. American Shalonda Solomon (23.27) edged out Anastasia Le-Roy (23.29), who ran a very good race out of lane one.
Gay said his warm-up was a little bit off, but added: "It still was a great run for me."
Campbell was humble in defeat. "You win some, you lose some, that's how it goes."
American Sanya Richards won the women's 400m in 50.60, beating Jamaicans Novlene Williams-Mills (51.63) and Sonita Sutherland (52.94). Jamaica-born Richards was happy with the win, but said her time was affected by the long wait for the start of the event.
In the field, Jamaicans Herbert McGregor (7.74m) and Dorian Scott (20.51m) were the other Jamaican winners on the night, taking the men's long jump and shot put respectively.
-A.F.
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