USAIN BOLT DEFENDED his title as the World’s Fastest Man, winning a 100m final at last night’s Golden Gala meet in Rome, against countryman and rival Asafa Powell.
He left it late though.
After a poor start at the Stadio Olimpico the triple world record holder was in the unusual position of gritting his teeth all the way to the line, only just fending off his compatriot and the former world record holder Powell to win in 9.91sec.
“I was so nervous I got a bad start and then kind of started to panic,” the 24-year-old said. “My coach will analyse the race. I was not proud of the race but I am getting there.”
Since Powell set a world record of 9.74 seconds in Rieti, Italy, in 2007, Bolt has broken the mark three times, the last at 9.58 at the 2009 world championships in Berlin.
Yet another Jamaican, Steve Mullings, still holds this year’s best time — 9.89 set in Clermont, Florida, five days ago.
- additional reporting AP
