Usain Bolt won his first race since suffering a strained hamstring, and his last race before the Olympics, clocking 19.89 to win a 200m in London on Friday night.
Watch the race here. Full meet results are here.
“I’m getting there, I’m not fully in shape, I need more work, but over time I’ll be fine,” Bolt said on the BBC. “I don’t think I executed well. … The key thing is I came out injury-free.”
Bolt ran hard through the line, appearing to grimace in his final several strides after coming around the turn with a small lead. He prevailed over Panama’s Alonso Edward (20.04) and Great Britain’s Adam Gemili (20.07), but the field didn’t include any of Bolt’s biggest perceived Olympic threats.
Bolt last raced three weeks ago, qualifying for the Jamaican Olympic Trials 100m final. He pulled out before the final with the hamstring injury but was still placed on the Olympic team in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay via medical exemption.
He goes into the Olympics (the 100m final is Aug. 14) ranked Nos. 4 and 5 in the world this year in the 100m and 200m but very arguably still the favorite in both races.
In 2012, Bolt was defeated by countryman Yohan Blake in the Jamaican Olympic Trials 100m and 200m, then beat Blake in both races in London.
In 2015, American Justin Gatlin entered the world championships as the world No. 1 in the 100m and 200m. Again, Bolt won both races.
This year’s rankings:
100m
1. Justin Gatlin (USA) — 9.80
2. Trayvon Bromell (USA) — 9.84
3. Jimmy Vicaut (FRA) — 9.86
4. Usain Bolt (JAM) — 9.88
200m
1. LaShawn Merritt (USA) — 19.74
2. Justin Gatlin (USA) — 19.75
3. Ameer Webb (USA) — 19.85
4. Miguel Francis (ANT) — 19.88
5. Usain Bolt (JAM) — 19.89
Earlier Friday, American Keni Harrison broke the 100m hurdles world record, two weeks after failing to make the Olympic team.
The Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller ran the fastest women’s 400m in the world this year, a personal-best 49.55, cementing her status as the biggest threat to Allyson Felix in the Olympics.
Felix, who won the Olympic Trials in 49.68, was not in Friday’s race. Felix won the 2015 World Championships in 49.26, with Miller taking silver in 49.67.
Vicaut won the men’s 100m in 10.02 seconds, with a slight tailwind, against a lackluster field.
Vicaut came into this meet as an Olympic medal contender, one of three men to go sub-9.90 multiple times this year, but leaves it with his medal chances slightly lower.
MORE: Details on the U.S. Olympic team, largest of any nation in Rio
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