Bolt opens 2012 with world best performance

KINGSTON - Agence France-Presse

Usain Bolt put in a commanding performance in his first 100m race in 2012. AP photo

Double world record-holder Usain Bolt shook off two false starts to open his 2012 season with a world-leading 9.82 seconds to win the 100 metres at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 5.

Bolt, running his first 100m of the season, looked in control from the start as he posted an easy victory over compatriots Michael Frater (10.0) and Lerone Clarke (10.03).

He improved on the previous best time of the year, the 9.90 clocked by Jamaican Yohan Blake on April 14 in Kingston.

Bolt, his sights set on defending his Olympic titles at the London Games in July, said the time shows he’s in better shape than he was at the same time last year. But there is room for improvement.

“There were some mistakes in the race, my coach (Glen Mills) pointed them out and we will be fixing them in training,” Bolt said.

He added he was slow out of the blocks after the two false starts.

World champ Blake also posted a world leading time with a 19.91 seconds in the 200m.

There was a third world leading time as Carmelita Jeter won the women’s 100m in 10.81 seconds, her third straight win in the event here.

Novlene Williams Mills produced arguably the best performance of the night in the women’s 400m when she ran 49.99 seconds.

Bolt said it wasn’t a perfect race but he was happy to get his first 100m out of the way as he jump started his Olympic preparations.

“It is a good start I would say,” he said. “Better than last year so I am definitely happy with myself.

“I don’t think the execution was perfect but I think for my first race it was good.” Bolt said the two false starts “threw me off, but I was just trying to stay focused and went out there and executed as best as possible.” The first false start was blamed on the starter while Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic Games 100m silver medalist Richard Thompson was allowed to run under protest after he was ruled to have false started the second time.

Bolt says he is still working on improving the first 40m of the race but says he can always depend on his superior speed over the last 60m to give him the edge.

“The end of my race is the best part. As I run and get fitter it will all come together.” He added he could run faster but that was not important as he will have three more 100m races before Jamaica’s Olympic trials in late June.

Blake said he was not sure if he would run the double at the Olympic trials, leaving the decision to coach Mills. He admitted he was surprised at such a fast time as “normally I open in 20.3 seconds or so. To open with 19.9 is wonderful.” Jeter who came into the meet with the world leading time in the 200m, dominated the women’s 100m as Trinidad’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste was second in 10.86. Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart third in 10.89 seconds.