Bolt banishes doubts before London finale
Jamaican runs sub-10sec for first time this season De Grasse denies world champion avoiding him
‘Usain would never try not to run against anyone’
It barely moved him into the lower reaches of the world top 10 this year, but Usain Bolt’s 9.95-second 100m win at the Monaco Diamond League last night signified so much more. After the doubts raised by the lacklustre performances that had preceded it, this was the statement that was needed – a sign that, just in case anyone had any foolish notion of writing him off, the eight-time Olympic champion can still deliver when required.
And with exactly a fortnight until he lines up in London for the final defence of his world 100m title, his rivals better beware.
The victory was far from spectacular, but it did not need to be. Dismissing pre-race talk about whether he would suffer a first defeat since 2013, Bolt finally pushed through the 10-second barrier – the 50th time he has done so – to keep the winning streak intact.
Having managed to keep pace with the world record holder until the closing stages, America’s Isiah Young clung on for second in 9.98sec, with South African Akani Simbine third and Chijindu Ujah, of Great Britain, fourth.
“Every run is always good for your confidence – the better you run, the better you execute, and it helps you be more confident,” said Bolt. “I was pleased to get under 10 seconds. I think I executed pretty well. It wasn’t the best race, but I don’t think the coach will stress me too much.
“As long as it’s a win, I’m going in the right direction and it’s under 10 seconds, then it’s a good thing. These races are to train and practise to see what I need to work on before I get to the championships.”
It is a sentiment that Bolt has repeated throughout his sluggish performances and back troubles that required him to fly to his German doctor earlier this month.
But despite his pleas, there was no hiding from the litmus test that this race provided. Triumph in commanding fashion and the message would resound. Or continue in the insipid manner he had laboured to victory in what were little more than testimonial events in Jamaica and the Czech Republic and even he would be forced to acknowledge, if only in private, that the dissenters had a point.
To make matters worse, there were even suggestions prior to this meeting that he was running scared of Andre De Grasse – the sprinter who many believe to be his successor over 100m.
The Canadian double Olympic medallist has not faced Bolt since the Rio Games and his coach this week claimed that De Grasse had been “booted out” of the Monaco 100m by Bolt’s management.
The Jamaican’s team refuted that suggestion and – speaking after dropping the baton as part of Canada’s 4x100m team in Monaco – De Grasse also denied it was the case.
“That was not true,” he said. “I was never supposed to race Usain here. Usain would never try to not run against someone.”
Nonetheless, it remained a formidable field without him. Simbine had broken 10 seconds on eight occasions this campaign, while Ujah clocked 9.98sec to win in Morocco last week – his third Diamond League victory of the season.
For the first time this year there was no hiding place for the sport’s biggest star – and as always he produced the goods.
Earlier, Olympic and world champion Wayde van Niekerk came out on top of a titanic battle with Isaac Makwala over 400m.
Unexpectedly headed as they entered the home straight, Van Niekerk hauled in the Botswanan to triumph in 43.73sec, with Makwala just behind in 43.84sec.
There were more fireworks in the 800m as Caster Semenya was pushed to the fastest time of her life to win a thrilling contest in 1min 55.27sec as Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba and Ajee’ Wilson, of the United States, ran national records for second and third.
Laura Muir warmed up for her tilt at a 1,500m/5,000m World Championships double with an outdoor personal best 8min 30.64sec for third place in the 3,000m, behind Kenyan winner Hellen Obiri. Eilish Mccolgan was fourth.
Dina Asher-smith also came third on her comeback from a broken foot as she recorded a season’s best 22.89sec in the 200m despite suffering illness beforehand.