Usain Bolt ran a (+ 2.1) wind-aided 9.77 secs. in the 100m today at the 48th edition of the Golden Spike Grand Prix in Ostrava, the Czech Republic, a status meeting that's part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2009.
Leaving the blocks with a 0.206 reaction time, the slowest of the field, Bolt stepped on the gas halfway in the race, where he was no higher than third position, to beat his closest rival by more than a quarter of a second. Britain's Craig Pickering, last year's winner in Ostrava, was second in 10.08 secs. and France's Ronald Pognon third in 10.15.
After the race, Bolt reportedly said that his start was perhaps the second worst he has ever had.
Another Caribbean star and world record holder was also in winning form. Cuba's Dayron Robles, 22, who ran 12.87 secs. at last year's meet to set a new world record in the 110m high hurdles, produced a world-leading 13.04 secs. in his second outing of the year. His 2008 world-record performance was done in his third race of the season.
Dexter Faulk, the 25-year-old American who started his season with 13.34 secs. and improved his career best four times this season, false-started in the first go then finished second in 13.13 secs. to produced his fifth personal record of the season. Shamar Sands of the Bahamian was third with a national record 13.38.
In the women's 100m hurdles Jamaica's Delloreen Ennis-London had her second victory of the season in 12.79 secs. by beating American Michelle Perry (12.86).
Jamaican schoolboy Nikel Ashmeade held his own among the big guns by clocking a wind-aided 20.72 secs. for third in the 200m won by Ireland's Paul Hession in 20.44. Ashmeade ran 20.49 secs. to win the half-lap event at the Jamaica Junior Trials over the weekend.