BBC: Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt ran the fourth-fastest 200m time in history as he stormed to victory in appalling conditions at the Lausanne Grand Prix.

Bolt ran 19.59 seconds despite a strong headwind and heavy rain in Switzerland.

Olympic 400m champion Lashawn Merritt was second with Shawn Crawford fourth, while Asafa Powell won the 100m.

Asked if he would have broken the world record in better weather Bolt said: “I don’t even think of it in those terms, I was just trying to test myself.”

The 22-year-old Jamaican admitted that there was still room for improvement ahead of next month’s world championships, but was otherwise pleased with his form.

“I’m in good shape, but I’m not fully ready yet. I still need to work on a few technical things,” said the 100m and 200m world record holder. [ READ MORE ] [ IAAF WEBSITE ]

| VIDEO(S): RECORD BREAKING MOMENTS AT THE BEIJING OLYMPICS |

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Usain Bolt on Letterman 9/25/08

Bolt Celebrates Early…Way TOO EARLY!

Shelly-Ann Fraser wins the womens 100m at the Beijing Olympics

BEIJING (AP) — Pamela Jelimo and world champion Janeth Jepkosgei ran to a 1-2 finish for Kenya in the women’s 800 meters at the Beijing Olympics.

The 18-year-old Jelimo, a heavy favorite despite switching to the 800m only in April, won Monday night in 1 minute, 54.87 seconds — a world junior record.

   [Enlarge]

Pamela Jelimo celebrates after winning the women’s 800 meter final.

Jepkosgei took silver in 1:56.07 and Hasna Benhassi of Morocco was third in 1:56.73.

Three-time world champion and Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalist Maria Mutola of Mozambique finished fifth in 1:57.68 in her fourth and last Olympics.

PREVIOUS RUNS

In the last Worlds — It was All Jepkosgei

Notes: Spotlight on Kenya’s Janeth Jepkosgei – The New World 800m Champion

Pamela Jelimo — From the ISTAF meet in Berlin, Germany June 1, 2008 called
by Dwight Stones and “The voice of Track & Field” Larry Rawson.

References:

1. The New York Times — Kenyan Woman Wins Gold in the 800 Meters — Pamela Jelimo, 18, won a decisive victory in the 800 meters, becoming the first Kenyan woman to win gold.

2. Daily Nation, Kenya — A golden day for Kenya | Jelimo is the first Kenyan woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics. World champion Brimin Kipruto and compatriot Benjamin Kogo cruise to a 1-2 finish in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. Kenya has won all Olympic titles in the 3,000 metres steeplechase save for 1976 and 1980 when it boycotted

Usain Bolt smashed the world record as he decimated his rivals to claim 100 metres Olympic Gold in Beijing.

   [ENLARGE]
Usain Bolt of Jamaica smashed his own record in the 100 meters despite slowing up to celebrate the gold medal he won in the process on Saturday.

He shaved three hundredths of a second of his own world record in a blistering time of 9.69 seconds and looks capable of going even quicker.

The Jamaican was so much in control of the race he found the time to celebrate before crossing the line in front of a packed Bird’s Nest.

Said Bolt:

“I want to say, I came here to prove I am the best.

“I have trained for years for this and prepared for this.

“I’m just happy, I came here to prove that I’m the best in the world and I did that.

“I came here with a plan and I executed it.

“I don’t really know what happened. I even could be 9.60.

“As soon as I saw I had covered the field and I knew I would win, I was very happy and I started to celebrate.

“I wasn’t worried about the time. I just came here to win.”

——————————————–

Watch the FULL Video as Usain Bolt of Jamaica Man-Handles and Completely Destroys the Opposition, and Sets A New World Record @ NBCOlympics.com

   Some predicted Usain Bolt could’ve turned in a 9.54 had he not
   shut it down with at least 15 meters left in the race.

AP Report – Bolts Record Breaking Run in Beijing

Previous Record Setting Bolts

9.72 – Usain Bolt 100 meters world record

Notes: Lightning-fast Bolt wins Olympic 100m