Story highlights
Usain Bolt wins 200m at Diamond League meeting in Lausanne
Teammate Yohan Blake takes 100m in scintillating 9.69 seconds
Carmelita Jeter of U.S. wins women's 100m in 10.86 seconds
Qatar's Mutaz Essa Bashim on top in men's high jump with 2.39 clearance
Usain Bolt made a winning return to the track after his Olympic heroics with an easy victory over 200 meters at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne Thursday.
Bolt charged clear to claim a meeting record 19.58 seconds, outside of his world record of 19.19 seconds, but the Jamaican superstar had ruled out breaking that mark before the event in Switzerland.
Bolt took three gold medals in London, relegating teammate Yohan Blake to second place in both the 100 and 200 sprints before Jamaica’s stunning world record win in the sprint relay.
After coming home ahead of Dutchman Churandy Martina and compatriot Nickel Ashmeade, Bolt told BBC Sport that he was satisfied with his post-Games effort.
“I am definitely very pleased. It was a good run for the end of the season. I just wanted to have fun,” said Bolt.
His training partner Blake also returned to action with a brilliant victory in the earlier 100m in 9.69 seconds.
Only Bolt with his 9.58 second world record and his 9.63 second clocking to win London, has ever run faster and he smashed his own personal best of 9.75 seconds.
America’s Tyson Gay finished second in 9.83 seconds with Nesta Carter of Jamaica third in 9.95 seconds.
“I am delighted,” said Blake. “I have been sick all week with flu but I am glad I recovered. My coach (Glen Mills) had told me that I could run faster than 9.75 seconds, a lot faster.”
Carmelita Jeter of the United States gained a measure of revenge in the women’s 100m, relegating double Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica to second place.
Fraser-Pryce had edged Jeter in the final at the Games earlier this month, but was beaten on the dip with both given the time of 10.86 seconds.
Best performance of the night in the field events came from Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim.
He shared bronze in the high jump at the London Games, but upset gold medal winner Ivan Ukhov in a high class event.
Barshim cleared 2.39 metres with Ukhov second with 2.37m, the same height as Britain’s Robbie Grabarz, who equaled his country’s national record.