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Bolt: I could have run 9.7
Blaise breaks national junior ecord
Kwame Laurence klaurence@trinidadexpress.com
Monday, May 19th 2008
PHENOMENAL: Usain Bolt, left, cruises to victory in the special men's international 100 metres event, on day one of the Hampton International Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, on Saturday night. The Jamaican sprinter got to the line in 9.92 seconds, beating American Mike Rodgers (10.07), right, into second spot. - Photo: ROBERT TAYLOR
Usain Bolt believes another 9.7 seconds 100 metres run was possible, on day one of the Hampton International Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Saturday night.
The Jamaican sprinter followed up on his amazing 9.76 seconds dash at the Jamaica International Invitational earlier this month with victory in a Stadium record 9.92 seconds on Saturday. Had he not shut down some 25 metres from the line, Bolt would have produced an even faster clocking.
"I wasn't really happy," Bolt told the Express, "because I had a real bad start and the blocks did not feel comfortable at all, so when I got in front I just shut it off because I wasn't feeling very happy with myself."
Bolt's 9.76 run in Jamaica earned him second spot on the all-time men's 100m performance list.
"Maybe if I had a good start, maybe 9.7 again, because I felt great and it was easy running 9.9 I think I did well and I'm really proud of myself. I just wanted to go under 10 seconds.
"My coach (Glen Mills)," the 21-year-old athlete continued, "said 'just come here, I want to see how you compete, and if you go under ten seconds that would be good'."
Saturday's 9.92 run in the special men's international 100m is the fastest-ever legal time on Trinidad and Tobago soil, bettering the 9.96 produced by T&T's Marc Burns, on the same track, at the 2005 National Open Championships.
Bolt will be back in action on May 31, at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, USA, where he is expected to square off against 2007 world double sprint champion Tyson Gay, of the United States, in the men's 100m. At the World Championships, in Osaka, Japan, last year, Bolt finished second to Gay in the 200m final.
Bolt said he does not yet know if he will compete in both sprints at the Beijing Olympics, in August.
"We haven't actually decided what we're going to do. We had a plan for the season and we're still working on that plan, up towards the (Jamaica) trials. Coach says to give him a few weeks or so and he'll let me know, so I'm just working off his schedule.
"I haven't started 200 training yet," Bolt continued, "so I'm really looking forward to that. I'll be doing that, starting Monday (today)."
On day two of the Hampton International Games, yesterday, Kyron Blaise established a new national junior (under-20) record in the triple jump. The Toco TAFAC athlete produced a 15.88 metres effort to improve on the 15.81m standard he had set in bagging bronze at the Pan Am Junior Championships, in Brazil, last year.
Yesterday's record jump earned Blaise third spot in the men's international invitational triple jump. American Rafeeq Curry topped the field with a 16.21m effort, beating T&T's Chris Hercules (16.11m) into second spot.
Late on Saturday, 18-year-old Blaise produced a 7.36m leap to win the men's long jump.
American John Capel clocked 20.66 seconds to claim top honours in yesterday's men's international invitational 200m. The 2003 world half-lap champion was first, coming off the bend. Capel stayed in front on the straight, keeping Jamaican Chris Williams at bay. Williams snapped up silver in 20.79, while third spot went to T&T sprinter Jacey Harper (21.48). Harper's compatriot, Aaron Armstrong pulled up injured.
Guyana's Lee Powell won the "B" race in 20.98, from T&T's Rondell Sorillo (21.05) and Jurgen Theman (21.42) of Suriname.
T&T sprinters Reyare Thomas and Semoy Hackett won the women's 200m events. In the first race, Thomas topped the field in 23.68 seconds. Hackett then produced the identical clocking to triumph in race two. Her run, though, was wind-assisted.
St Lucia's Levern Spencer was the class of the women's high jump field, winning with a 1.92m clearance.
There was a one-two finish for the United States in the men's 400m hurdles. Rickey Harris was first home in 51.70 seconds, beating Adrian Mann (52.40) into second spot. T&T's Ansil Nicholson clocked 52.71 to cop third spot.
Another American, Tiffany Williams triumphed in the women's 400m hurdles. She got home in 55.24 seconds. Jamaica's Shevon Stoddart and T&T's Janeil Bellille finished second and third, respectively, clocking 57.03 and 57.73.
Antigua's Kenryca Francis returned a time of 10 minutes, 36.64 seconds to emerge victorious in the women's 3,000m. Francis got to the line just ahead of Guyana's Alika Morgan (10:36.66). Shermin Lasaldo of T&T finished third in 10:37.82.
Jamaican Bobbette Stewart struck gold in the women's 800m in 2:05.48. And there were victories as well for Gavyn Nero in the boys' under-20 800m (1:53.96) and Emmanuel Stewart in the men's discus (46.11m).
Blaise breaks national junior ecord
Kwame Laurence klaurence@trinidadexpress.com
Monday, May 19th 2008
PHENOMENAL: Usain Bolt, left, cruises to victory in the special men's international 100 metres event, on day one of the Hampton International Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, on Saturday night. The Jamaican sprinter got to the line in 9.92 seconds, beating American Mike Rodgers (10.07), right, into second spot. - Photo: ROBERT TAYLOR
Usain Bolt believes another 9.7 seconds 100 metres run was possible, on day one of the Hampton International Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Saturday night.
The Jamaican sprinter followed up on his amazing 9.76 seconds dash at the Jamaica International Invitational earlier this month with victory in a Stadium record 9.92 seconds on Saturday. Had he not shut down some 25 metres from the line, Bolt would have produced an even faster clocking.
"I wasn't really happy," Bolt told the Express, "because I had a real bad start and the blocks did not feel comfortable at all, so when I got in front I just shut it off because I wasn't feeling very happy with myself."
Bolt's 9.76 run in Jamaica earned him second spot on the all-time men's 100m performance list.
"Maybe if I had a good start, maybe 9.7 again, because I felt great and it was easy running 9.9 I think I did well and I'm really proud of myself. I just wanted to go under 10 seconds.
"My coach (Glen Mills)," the 21-year-old athlete continued, "said 'just come here, I want to see how you compete, and if you go under ten seconds that would be good'."
Saturday's 9.92 run in the special men's international 100m is the fastest-ever legal time on Trinidad and Tobago soil, bettering the 9.96 produced by T&T's Marc Burns, on the same track, at the 2005 National Open Championships.
Bolt will be back in action on May 31, at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, USA, where he is expected to square off against 2007 world double sprint champion Tyson Gay, of the United States, in the men's 100m. At the World Championships, in Osaka, Japan, last year, Bolt finished second to Gay in the 200m final.
Bolt said he does not yet know if he will compete in both sprints at the Beijing Olympics, in August.
"We haven't actually decided what we're going to do. We had a plan for the season and we're still working on that plan, up towards the (Jamaica) trials. Coach says to give him a few weeks or so and he'll let me know, so I'm just working off his schedule.
"I haven't started 200 training yet," Bolt continued, "so I'm really looking forward to that. I'll be doing that, starting Monday (today)."
On day two of the Hampton International Games, yesterday, Kyron Blaise established a new national junior (under-20) record in the triple jump. The Toco TAFAC athlete produced a 15.88 metres effort to improve on the 15.81m standard he had set in bagging bronze at the Pan Am Junior Championships, in Brazil, last year.
Yesterday's record jump earned Blaise third spot in the men's international invitational triple jump. American Rafeeq Curry topped the field with a 16.21m effort, beating T&T's Chris Hercules (16.11m) into second spot.
Late on Saturday, 18-year-old Blaise produced a 7.36m leap to win the men's long jump.
American John Capel clocked 20.66 seconds to claim top honours in yesterday's men's international invitational 200m. The 2003 world half-lap champion was first, coming off the bend. Capel stayed in front on the straight, keeping Jamaican Chris Williams at bay. Williams snapped up silver in 20.79, while third spot went to T&T sprinter Jacey Harper (21.48). Harper's compatriot, Aaron Armstrong pulled up injured.
Guyana's Lee Powell won the "B" race in 20.98, from T&T's Rondell Sorillo (21.05) and Jurgen Theman (21.42) of Suriname.
T&T sprinters Reyare Thomas and Semoy Hackett won the women's 200m events. In the first race, Thomas topped the field in 23.68 seconds. Hackett then produced the identical clocking to triumph in race two. Her run, though, was wind-assisted.
St Lucia's Levern Spencer was the class of the women's high jump field, winning with a 1.92m clearance.
There was a one-two finish for the United States in the men's 400m hurdles. Rickey Harris was first home in 51.70 seconds, beating Adrian Mann (52.40) into second spot. T&T's Ansil Nicholson clocked 52.71 to cop third spot.
Another American, Tiffany Williams triumphed in the women's 400m hurdles. She got home in 55.24 seconds. Jamaica's Shevon Stoddart and T&T's Janeil Bellille finished second and third, respectively, clocking 57.03 and 57.73.
Antigua's Kenryca Francis returned a time of 10 minutes, 36.64 seconds to emerge victorious in the women's 3,000m. Francis got to the line just ahead of Guyana's Alika Morgan (10:36.66). Shermin Lasaldo of T&T finished third in 10:37.82.
Jamaican Bobbette Stewart struck gold in the women's 800m in 2:05.48. And there were victories as well for Gavyn Nero in the boys' under-20 800m (1:53.96) and Emmanuel Stewart in the men's discus (46.11m).
