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Fast curve did the trick for Usain Bolt
published: Saturday | August 4, 2007
LONDON (AP):
Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who edged American Wallace Spearmon to win the men's 200 in 20.06 at the London Grand Prix yesterday, said the key to victory was adopting some of his rival's tactics.
"He never runs a fast curve, so I thought I would take advantage of that," Bolt said. "It seemed to work - just."
Spearmon finished second in 20.11.
His Jamaican counterpart who won the women's 200m, Olympic champion Veronica Campbell, says she never ran as fast as she wanted but remains in good shape.
Campbell dominated the 200 metres, winning by over a second in 22.55 in a race in which Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft finished last.
"I felt things were going well and that I am in good shape, so I was hoping to run fast tonight," said Campbell, the Olympic 200 champion.
"While it didn't quite happen as I had hoped, I am still really pleased to win," Campbell added.
Meanwhile, Tyson Gay, the fastest man in the world this year, blamed a -0.8 headwind for not going faster than the 10.02 seconds he clocked to win the 100 metres.
The American, who had threatened to go after Asafa Powell's 9.97 seconds world record, said he would have run under 10 seconds with a favourable wind, but was happy with the victory on a warm London evening. He also said the knee that had bothered him for the past month was "100 per cent".
"I slowed a touch towards the end, but I am in good shape," Gay said. "If I had run to the line, I would have run nine seconds. I just need two weeks back at home to get ready for Osaka."
Unlike Gay, Jeremy Wariner, the Olympic and world champion, had to work hard for his victory in the men's 400. He overhauled fellow American LaShawn Merritt in the closing metres to win in 44.05. Merritt was next in 44.23.
"I knew he would be there and I felt him on the turn, but I managed to find enough strength to hold him," said Wariner, who was disappointed he didn't break 44 seconds for the first time this season.
"It was my first 400 since early May and I am about where I need to be - almost, but not quite."
Wariner has won 15 of his last 17 races at 400 metres. His only defeats were in races he did not finish - in Shanghai in September last year when he was injured and in Sheffield, England, on July 15 when he stumbled out of the blocks.
published: Saturday | August 4, 2007
LONDON (AP):
Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who edged American Wallace Spearmon to win the men's 200 in 20.06 at the London Grand Prix yesterday, said the key to victory was adopting some of his rival's tactics.
"He never runs a fast curve, so I thought I would take advantage of that," Bolt said. "It seemed to work - just."
Spearmon finished second in 20.11.
His Jamaican counterpart who won the women's 200m, Olympic champion Veronica Campbell, says she never ran as fast as she wanted but remains in good shape.
Campbell dominated the 200 metres, winning by over a second in 22.55 in a race in which Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft finished last.
"I felt things were going well and that I am in good shape, so I was hoping to run fast tonight," said Campbell, the Olympic 200 champion.
"While it didn't quite happen as I had hoped, I am still really pleased to win," Campbell added.
Meanwhile, Tyson Gay, the fastest man in the world this year, blamed a -0.8 headwind for not going faster than the 10.02 seconds he clocked to win the 100 metres.
The American, who had threatened to go after Asafa Powell's 9.97 seconds world record, said he would have run under 10 seconds with a favourable wind, but was happy with the victory on a warm London evening. He also said the knee that had bothered him for the past month was "100 per cent".
"I slowed a touch towards the end, but I am in good shape," Gay said. "If I had run to the line, I would have run nine seconds. I just need two weeks back at home to get ready for Osaka."
Unlike Gay, Jeremy Wariner, the Olympic and world champion, had to work hard for his victory in the men's 400. He overhauled fellow American LaShawn Merritt in the closing metres to win in 44.05. Merritt was next in 44.23.
"I knew he would be there and I felt him on the turn, but I managed to find enough strength to hold him," said Wariner, who was disappointed he didn't break 44 seconds for the first time this season.
"It was my first 400 since early May and I am about where I need to be - almost, but not quite."
Wariner has won 15 of his last 17 races at 400 metres. His only defeats were in races he did not finish - in Shanghai in September last year when he was injured and in Sheffield, England, on July 15 when he stumbled out of the blocks.
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