Olympic champion Usain Bolt clocked the fourth fastest 200 metres time ever to win the Lausanne Grand Prix in 19.59 seconds in torrential rain on Tuesday.
The Jamaican looked supremely relaxed before the start as he acknowledged the crowd with a series of trademark hand gestures and he dominated the race from the gun.
Bolt accelerated off the bend to leave his rivals trailing in his wake and crossed the line a massive 0.82 seconds ahead of American LaShawn Merritt, the Olympic 400 metres champion.
He was 0.29 seconds outside his own world record set at last year's Olympics.
Jamaica dominated the sprint events as Asafa Powell won the 100 metres, Shelly-Ann Fraser took the women's 100 and Kerron Stewart the women's 200.
Former world record holder Powell finished the 100 metres in 10.07 seconds.
Olympic champion Fraser pipped Carmelita Jeter of the United States by 0.03 seconds to win her race in 11.03.
The biggest upset came in the women's 400 metres hurdles where Jamaican Olympic champion Melaine Walker was beaten into fourth place with 55.24 seconds.
Tiffany Ross-Williams of the U.S. won the race.
Cuban Olympic champion and world record holder Dayron Robles, who missed part of the indoor season this year with a thigh muscle injury, won the men's 110 metres hurdles in 13.18 seconds.
© 2024 Rediff.com -