Sport
Usain Bolt sets track record in 200 meters in Oslo
Usain Bolt. PHOTO/Joe Klamar/AFP
Usain Bolt bounced back from a rare defeat, setting a track record at the Bislett Games on Thursday in his first 200-meter race of the season.
“I’m not in as bad shape as I thought I was,” Bolt said.
Bolt, who lost the 100 by 0.01 seconds in Rome last week, finished in 19.79. He is the only one to break 20 seconds this season.
“Overall, it was a good run, I can’t complain. It’s sub 20,” Bolt said. “I could have done better. I think I need to work on my corners but otherwise it was a good race.”
Bolt topped the Bislett record set by Frank Fredericks of Namibia in 1996 by 0.03 seconds.
After losing to Justin Gatlin of the U.S. in Rome, Bolt wasn’t fazed by a false start by European 200 champion Churandy Martina of the Netherlands. Martina was disqualified and Bolt powered on, finishing strongly in Lane 6 and leaving the crowd on its feet.
“It’s always good to have someone directly in front of you,” Bolt about Martina, who was in Lane 7. “It helps to push you harder to get past them on the corner. But you have to learn. This is always good, a learning curve. If it happens in the world championships, then it’s already happened here so you know how to deal with it.”
