The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Bolt wins 200m at London GP

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Bolt wins 200m at London GP

— PHOTO: AFP

SPLENDID SHOW: Usain Bolt got off to a superb start.

LONDON: Usain Bolt cruised around the track on Saturday to win the 200-metre race at the London Grand Prix in 19.76 seconds.

The 100m world record holder from Jamaica got off to a superb start and led for about the final 100 metres, pulling away from the pack and winning by a half second despite easing up in the final metres.

Wallace Spearmon of the United States was second in 20.27 and Paul Hession of Ireland third in 20.37.

Bolt is one of the favourites for both the 100 and 200 at the Beijing Olympics, even though he has not yet decided to run in both races next month.

“I’m not sure yet,” Bolt said. Bolt set the 100m world record of 9.72 seconds in May, breaking the 9.74 mark of Jamaican teammate Asafa Powell.

In the women’s 100 heats, Shelly-Ann Fraser of Jamaica had the fastest time of 11.01 seconds. Marshevet Hooker of the United States won the first heat in 11.04, edging Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica and Torri Edwards of the United States.

Kelly Sotherton kept her lead in the four-event challenge by finishing second in the shot put, increasing her total in the competition to 2,947 points.

Laurien Hoos of the Netherlands won the shot put with a throw of 15.06 metres to move into third place with 2,678 points. Sotherton was second with a throw of 14.36, and Kylie Wheeler was third at 13.18.

On Friday, Powell won the 100 in 9.94 seconds, and Yelena Isinbayeva won the pole vault with a jump of 4.93 metres before missing three attempts at a world record height of 5.04. — AP

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