Bolt, Walker win at World Athletics Final

CMC

Monday, September 14, 2009

THESSALONIKI, Greece (CMC) - Track and field giant Usain Bolt advertised invincible form again and joined other Caribbean World Champions Ryan Brathwaite and Melaine Walker in winners' row as the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final ended yesterday.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt holds his shoes in his hands as he celebrates his win in the 200 meters race during an IAAF World Athletics Final at Thessaloniki's Kaftanzoglio stadium yesterday(Photo: AP)

Jamaican Bolt sped to a meet record equalling 19.68 seconds to win the men's 200 metres while his teammate Melaine Walker also posted a meet record in landing the women's 400-metre hurdles in 53.36 and rising Barbadian world star Brathwaite dominated the 110-metre hurdles in 13.16 seconds.

All winners at the two-day meet a picked up a purse of US$30,000.

Running in Lane 5 in the men's 200 metres, Olympic and World Champion Bolt covered the field quickly and came off the turn with a clear lead, moving further away down the homestretch to crush his rivals.

American Wallace Spearmon was second in 20.21 seconds and Antiguan Pan American Games champion Brendan Christian claimed third in 20.65.

Brathwaite got a decent start in the sprint hurdles and quickened in mid-race to take control, stopping the clock just 0.02 seconds outside his personal best and Barbados national record.

Thessaloniki, Greece - Carmelita Jeter of the United States battles Jamaican Shelley-Ann Fraser to win the women's 100 metres at the IAAF World Athletics Final at Kaftanzoglio Stadium yesterday.

The 21-year-old Brathwaite, who created history by becoming the first Barbadian to win a global senior track and field title, won ahead of American Dexter Faulk, who clocked 13.26 for the runner-up spot.
Jamaican Dwight Thomas recovered from a bad start to secure third in 13.29 seconds.

Walker, like Bolt a reigning World and Olympic Champion, was unchallenged in her one-lap hurdles win, coming home ahead of her Jamaican teammate Kaliese Spencer (53.99) with the improving Trinidadian Josanne Lucas getting third in 54.31 seconds.

American Carmelita Jeter delivered the top performance of the day when she recorded a stunning career-best and meet record 10.67 seconds to capture the women's 100 metres.

Accelerating powerfully over the last 40 metres, Jeter dismissed Jamaican Olympic and World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser to become the third fastest woman of all-time over the distance.

Only world record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner (10.49) and Marion Jones (10.65) have gone faster.