Double Olympic champion Usain Bolt won the Jamaican 200m national title on Sunday, his first run at that distance this year, but conceded he was far from top shape ahead of the world championships in August.
After bursting through the bend, Bolt eased off in the final stages to finish with a time of 20.25, nearly a full second shy of his world record 19.30 set at the final of the Beijing Games last year.
“I’m feeling alright, I’m a little bit tired because I am not really in the best shape of my life, but I’m OK,” Bolt told reporters after the race.
“There were a lot of fast guys behind me so I ran the corner pretty hard and then I came off and saw where I was and shut it down — it was OK,” Bolt said.
In contrast to his dancing jubilation in Beijing, a no-nonsense Bolt crossed the line without celebration in front of cheering home fans to finish ahead of Steve Mullings, second with 20.40, and Marvin Anderson on 20.63.
The run was enough to win the national title and secure passage to the world championships, but betrayed little of the awesome power the Jamaican revealed at last year’s edition in the lead-up to Beijing.
“I’m probably a little bit back, compared to that. I’ve still got a lot of work to do, day by day. But I am ready to do it,” he said. “I ran the corner very well I think and my coach will decide what to do to improve it.”
Bolt faces a showdown in Berlin with world champion Tyson Gay, who last week said he could break the Jamaican’s 100m record if he could improve his start.
After winning the national 100m title on Saturday, Bolt hit back by declaring the American had little chance of setting a new mark.
The Jamaican said he hoped to come up against his main rivals, Gay among them, at least once before the world championships in Berlin.
“I wouldn’t mind meeting them in every race in the build-up so I know what I have to do but at least once before would be good,” Bolt said.
Bolt and Gay may face off before the worlds at the London Grand Prix, with the Jamaican signed up and discussions being held with the American’s camp, organizers of the July 24 to July 25 event said.
Like Bolt, two-time women’s 200m Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown had little trouble securing first place in the Jamaican trials, holding off rival and 100m gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser to win in 22.40.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
RSS