Bolt hints at world record

Published: Wednesday | August 19, 2009


Elton Tucker, Editor - Sports

Berlin, Germany:

Triple Olympic and World 100 metres champion Usain Bolt has hinted that his 200 metres world record could be the next to fall at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin.

Bolt, who clocked a pheno-menal 9.58 seconds to smash his own world 100 metres record on Sunday, easily won his first and second round heats in the 200 metres yesterday and now it's on to today's semi-finals and the grand final tomorrow.

Following a 20.41 seconds clocking in his second round heat, Bolt admitted that he was a "little bit" tired.

However, he added: "It's nothing a good night's rest cannot cure. My aim is to get through round by round like last year (in Beijing) then get to the final and execute."

Two jamaicans in semis

Last year in Beijing Bolt indicated that he would be "leaving it all on the track" in the 200 metres and he clocked 19.30 seconds to lower the long-standing record of American Michael Johnson.

"I will be running hard," he replied yesterday when asked if he will be pushing to lower his world mark.

Two Jamaicans will be in the semi-finals. Bolt is joined by Steve Mullings, who led all qualifiers from the second round with 20.23.

The next best qualifier is Alonso Edward of Panama, who won second round heat four heat in 20.33.

America's 2004 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford won heat two in 20.37.

Mullings said things are going to plan.

Get a good lane

"I feel great. My coach told me to step it up, get to the semi-finals and get a good lane and that's what I did."

Mullings, who has a personal best of 20.01, is now ready to run fast and go below the 20-second barrier.

"If that's what it takes to get a medal then I have to," he said.

Both Jamaicans have drawn lane three in their respective semi-finals.

Bolt will run in semi-final one at 7:25 p.m. here, 12:25 (Jamaica time). Semi-final two will be run eight minutes later.

The third Jamaican in the event, Calabar High schoolboy Ramone McKenzie, who replaced the injured Marvin Anderson, was fifth in his first-round heat in 20.97 and was eliminated.