Usain Bolt breaks the tape with a world record time of 9.72 seconds in the men's 100 metres at the Reebok Grand Prix athletics meet on Saturday night in New York. - AP

USAIN BOLT weathered the storm and lived up to his nickname - 'Lightning Bolt', by smashing the men's 100m world record at last weekend's Reebok Grand Prix.

The 6' 5", 21-year-old Jamaican held his nerve after a false start to smash compatriot Asafa Powell's previous mark of 9.74 by .02 of a second.

It was behind this performance that Bolt was easily voted The Gleaner's Top Performer of the Week.

Bolt flashed out of the blocks, leaving in his wake last year's World Championships sprint double champion Tyson Gay, who was second in 9.85.

Bolt's 9.72, along with that of his 9.76 in Kingston two weeks before, means that he must now be considered the red-hot favourite for the Olympic 100m crown.

At the start of this year, his best time in the 100m, an event he was using only to boost his speed for his preferred 200m, was 10.03, which he equalled in March.

He also ran a fast 9.92 seconds in Trinidad & Tobago, which was his fourth race over this distance. He now has all of five 100m races under his belt.

Earlier strike

The former William Knibb star first made a name for himself when he won four gold medals at the 2002 Carifta Games in Bahamas then followed it up with gold at the World Juniors in Kingston.

Bolt was surprised with his start on Saturday night, but not the world record.

"I was really surprised I did so well out of the blocks but I'm just proud of myself. My coach told me to concentrate on the drive phase and that's what I did," Bolt said.