Bolt wins sprint at Jamaican trials
Source: Agencies |
June 23, 2013, Sunday
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WORLD record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt put in a workmanlike display to win the 100 meters on Friday at the Jamaican trials for the world championships.
Bolt recovered from a slow start to catch Nickel Ashmeade at the 50-meter mark and clocked a time of 9.94 seconds after easing off over the last 10 meters in Kingston.
The sub-10 second run was the 35th of his career.
"It was good to win ... I'm not too worried about the time as I have one solid month to work on getting ready for Russia," Bolt said.
"The start wasn't perfect, but the drive phase was better than it was when I lost to (Justin) Gatlin and then the turbo chipped in," the 2009 world champion added, noting that coach Glen Mills advised him to do just enough to win.
Kemar Bailey-Cole sneaked up to take second in 9.98, while Ashmeade, who made the 200 final at the 2011 world championships, placed third in 9.99.
In the surprise of the trials, former world record holder Asafa Powell failed to fire in his third straight race in two nights, finishing seventh in 10.22.
Bolt expressed sympathy for Powell, who has struggled with hamstring troubles this season. "Asafa has been through a lot this season and I was surprised he ran at these trials," the six-time Olympic winner said.
Olympic double sprint silver medalist Yohan Blake, who is not running at the nationals because of an injury, will be the fourth Jamaican in the men's 100 in Russia by virtue of being the defending world champion.
Bolt has dominated global sprinting for years. The powerful Jamaican has set world records (his mark stands at 9.58) and captured two straight Olympic 100-meter finals.
But earlier this month at the Golden Gala meet in Rome, Bolt lost by a hundredth of a second to American Gatlin in the 100. It was Bolt's first significant loss since his false-start disqualification at the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korean.
At the United States championships in Iowa on Friday night, Tyson Gay overcame a slow start to win the 100, surging past Gatlin halfway through the race. Gay finished in a time of 9.75 seconds, the fastest in the world this season.
Jamaica's Ashmeade is Gay's training partner.
In the absence of two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the women's title in Kingston went to 2008 Beijing silver medalist Kerron Stewart. She ran 10.94 seconds, beating Sherone Simpson and Schillonie Calvert. Fraser-Pryce qualified for the worlds after dominating the Diamond League.
"I knew as long as I executed a good race, I would win." Stewart said. "I have to give all credit to God (because) when everybody counted me out, he got me through."
Decorated female sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown is missing Jamaica's national championships due to a positive drug test being investigated by an island anti-doping panel.
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Campbell-Brown, or "VCB," as she known in sprinting circles, tested positive for a banned substance at a meet in May and will serve a suspension while anti-doping officials rules on the positive drug test.
Earlier this week, Campbell-Brown's manager, Claude Bryan, said the accusation came as a "shock to her" and the reigning 200-meter world champion is determined to clear her name.
Bolt recovered from a slow start to catch Nickel Ashmeade at the 50-meter mark and clocked a time of 9.94 seconds after easing off over the last 10 meters in Kingston.
The sub-10 second run was the 35th of his career.
"It was good to win ... I'm not too worried about the time as I have one solid month to work on getting ready for Russia," Bolt said.
"The start wasn't perfect, but the drive phase was better than it was when I lost to (Justin) Gatlin and then the turbo chipped in," the 2009 world champion added, noting that coach Glen Mills advised him to do just enough to win.
Kemar Bailey-Cole sneaked up to take second in 9.98, while Ashmeade, who made the 200 final at the 2011 world championships, placed third in 9.99.
In the surprise of the trials, former world record holder Asafa Powell failed to fire in his third straight race in two nights, finishing seventh in 10.22.
Bolt expressed sympathy for Powell, who has struggled with hamstring troubles this season. "Asafa has been through a lot this season and I was surprised he ran at these trials," the six-time Olympic winner said.
Olympic double sprint silver medalist Yohan Blake, who is not running at the nationals because of an injury, will be the fourth Jamaican in the men's 100 in Russia by virtue of being the defending world champion.
Bolt has dominated global sprinting for years. The powerful Jamaican has set world records (his mark stands at 9.58) and captured two straight Olympic 100-meter finals.
But earlier this month at the Golden Gala meet in Rome, Bolt lost by a hundredth of a second to American Gatlin in the 100. It was Bolt's first significant loss since his false-start disqualification at the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korean.
At the United States championships in Iowa on Friday night, Tyson Gay overcame a slow start to win the 100, surging past Gatlin halfway through the race. Gay finished in a time of 9.75 seconds, the fastest in the world this season.
Jamaica's Ashmeade is Gay's training partner.
In the absence of two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the women's title in Kingston went to 2008 Beijing silver medalist Kerron Stewart. She ran 10.94 seconds, beating Sherone Simpson and Schillonie Calvert. Fraser-Pryce qualified for the worlds after dominating the Diamond League.
"I knew as long as I executed a good race, I would win." Stewart said. "I have to give all credit to God (because) when everybody counted me out, he got me through."
Decorated female sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown is missing Jamaica's national championships due to a positive drug test being investigated by an island anti-doping panel.
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Campbell-Brown, or "VCB," as she known in sprinting circles, tested positive for a banned substance at a meet in May and will serve a suspension while anti-doping officials rules on the positive drug test.
Earlier this week, Campbell-Brown's manager, Claude Bryan, said the accusation came as a "shock to her" and the reigning 200-meter world champion is determined to clear her name.
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