Bolt cruises to easy win

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP):

World-record holder Usain Bolt cruised to an easy victory over European champion Christophe Lemaitre in the 200 metres at the Areva meet yesterday.

The Jamaican clocked 20.03 seconds, well off his record of 19.19 set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, but it was enough to outclass Lemaitre of France, who finished second in 20.21.

Jamaica's Mario Forsythe was fourth in 20.61.

"It was just one of those days," Bolt said. "I was not feeling good because of a flu, but at the end of the day, I decided to run and could win."

Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago stunned Jamaican sprinters Kerron Stewart and Veronica Campbell-Brown in the women's 100. Baptiste ran 10.91 to edge Campbell-Brown (10.95) and Olympic runner-up Stewart (11.04).

Sherone Simpson, joint Olympic silver medallist, was sixth in 11.33.

In the men's 400 metres, Jamaica's Jermaine Gonzales came too late with his traditional late kick and had to be contented with third in the men's 400 metres, in 45.43 seconds.

Christopher Brown of The Bahamas won in 44.94, while Belize's Jonathan Borlee was second in 45.25. American Jeremy Wariner - winner of the Olympic gold in 2004 and silver in 2008 - was fourth in 45.50.

Double amputee Oscar Pistorius of South Africa finished fifth in 45.84, failing to reach the 45.25 time that would automatically qualify him for the Worlds.

Bolt came out of the curve with the lead and eased off in the last 50 metres.

'OK race'

"Overall, it was an OK race," he said. "I ran the first part very hard. Then I just came into the straight, made sure I was leading and I kind of backed off a little bit."

The start in the 200 was delayed 15 minutes because of a problem with the timing.

"It was a little bit too long," Bolt said of the delay. "It's never good to stand out and just wait. The wind picked up, it started to get cold. For me, it wasn't a good thing. I'm just happy I got through it injury free."

After the meet was over, Bolt jogged a bit and got a massage just behind the finish line while sending some text messages.

"The flu is going away, I'll be all right," said Bolt, who will defend his world titles next month in Daegu, South Korea.

In the 110 hurdles, Olympic champion Dayron Robles of Cuba dipped his chest to beat United States (US) champion David Oliver in a photo finish, with both runners crossing in 13.09.

Not far behind was Jamaica's Dwight Thomas, who placed third in 13.18.

World champion Caster Semenya of South Africa won the women's 800 in 2:00.18, well off her stated goal of running faster than 1:58.

Jamaican Kenia Sinclair did not finish after being impeded by a runner involved in a fall early into the race.

"It's a little bit upsetting," Semenya said of her time. "I cannot worry about the time, the most important thing about Daegu is to win, getting back to the podium.

"I will compete also in China at the World University Games, that will be my time trials before Daegu."

Semenya, who is trying to regain her form after missing 11 months of competition because of a gender controversy, outran Halima Hachlaf of Morocco, who finished in 2:00.60.

Also, Olympic bronze medallist Christina Obergfoell of Germany won the javelin with a throw of 223 feet, one inch, and world champion Yargelis Savigne of Cuba won the triple jump with a leap of 49.2m.

Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic won the 400 hurdles in 53.29, beating mis-striding Jamaicans Kaliese Spencer over the last hurdle and in a sprint to the finish.

Spencer clocked 53.45 seconds, with Olympic and world champion Melaine Walker, also of Jamaica, finishing fifth in 55.06.

Meseret Defar won the 5,000 in 14:29.52, beating fellow Ethiopian Sentayehu Ejigu.