Compeed Golden Gala, Bolt tops the bill in Rome

A great night of athletics was celebrated in the historic Olympic Stadium in Rome in front of 47732 enthusiastic spectators were thrilled by a fantastic men’s 100 metres which topped the bill. Jamaican Usain Bolt recovered from a bad start from the blocks to overtake his compatriot Asafa Powell into the finish-line. Powell had a great start and led until the final metres of the race before being edged by triple world and Olympic champion Bolt who crossed the finish-line in 9.91 to Powell’s 9.93. Christophe Lemaitre narrowly missed his PB by 0.03 seconds to finish third with 10.00. Bolt set the second fastest time in the world in 2011 behind Jamaican Steve Mullings who clocked 9.89 earlier this year. “I think over the time should be OK. I got through my first race. I was so nervous. I got a bad start and then kind started to panic. My coach will analyse the race. I was not proud of the race. But I am back to business. This is my first time in Rome and I appreciated the reaction of the crowd. About Asafa’s race ? I guess for him it was different because he had already started his season. He was already in the season, unlike me”, said Bolt. “I was too focused on Usain. I was very relaxed at the start but during the race I have lost my focus and so he could beat me”, said Powell. Bolt’s win over a great Asafa Powell, who improved his seasonal best from Shanghai by 0.02 seconds, was the perfect finale to a memorable meeting which was highlighted by seven world seasonal best times set by Allyson Felix in the women’s 400 metres (49.82), Imane Merga in the men’s 5000 metres (12:54:21), Phillips Idowu in the men’s triple jump (17.59 m), Frenchan Renaud Lavillenie in the men’s pole vault (5.82), Maryam Yusuf Jamal in the women’s 1500 metres (4:01.60) and Kenyan Milcah Chemos Chewya in the women’s 3000 metres (9:12.89) and Russian Javelin thrower Mariya Abakumova (65.40).

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