Two-time Olympic reigning sprint double champion Usain Bolt won the 100-metre title at the Jamaican Athletics Championships last night to qualify for August’s World Championships.
Bolt, who broke free from the pack after 60 metres, shut it down as he crossed the line in 9.94 seconds, with rising star and training partner Kemar Bailey-Cole second in 9.98 and Nickel Ashmeade third in 9.99.
Ashmeade is the training partner of Tyson Gay, who ran 9.75 to win at the US Track and Field Championships earlier Friday.
Bolt, when asked about Gay’s impressive run, said: “trials is always to make the team, because it’s at the (world) championships it really matters. I had ran 9.63, 9.58, so I have set the (worlds qualifying) standard already.
“It was all about getting through it injury free and that’s what I had done,” Bolt said.
Gay and Bolt figure to have a showdown in the 100 at the World Championships in August at Moscow along with defending champion Yohan Blake of Jamaica.
Blake did not run in the Jamaican meet because of a right thigh injury, but as a reigning champion, Blake will still be eligible to run at the worlds despite not competing this week at the Jamaican trials.
Considering what elements of his race needed work, Bolt said, “a lot more things to work on, my start and my drive phase need some more work.”
Asafa Powell, who has struggled all season with injuries, finished a disappointing seventh in 10.22.
In the women’s 100m, Kerron Stewart won in 10.96 ahead of Sherone Simpson in 11.03 with Schillonie Calvert third in 11.07.
“It was a good time, because I had not dipped under 11 seconds all season, but I knew it was in me,” Stewart said.
In the men’s 400m hurdles, Leford Green won in 49.20 ahead of Annsert Whyte in 49.30 with Isa Phillips third in 49.59.
Francine Simpson won the women’s long jump with a leap of 6.35m.