Usain Bolt ran under 10 seconds for the first time this year as he narrowly won the 100 metres at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Friday.
The eight-time Olympic champion was slow out of the blocks, just as he was in his last race in Ostrava last month, and never managed to put a big gap between him and the field. He won in 9.95 seconds, three-hundredths of a second ahead of American Isiah Young.
Before the meeting, the Jamaican went to Germany to have treatment for back issues that have troubled him for years. It was his last outing before next month’s IAAF World Championships in London where he will race in the 100m and 4x100m relay.
ADVERTISEMENT
On course
“It was good, I’m going in the right direction, still a lot of work to do,” said Bolt, who is scheduled to retire after the London event.
“I’m always here for the fans, and, of course, I will miss the vibe around the track.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Mixed emotions always — happy for my career, sad that it is ending. Sub-10 is always good. It was an exciting race, lots of energy.”
Olympic and World champion Wayde van Niekerk won a titanic battle against Botswana’s Isaac Makwala to take the 400m.
The South African, also the World record holder in the event, made a lightning start, then Makwala recovered to lead coming off the final bend before van Niekerk powered down the final straight to win in 43.73 seconds.
van Niekerk’s fellow South African, Caster Semenya, won a dramatic women’s 800m in a season’s best and meet record time of 1:55.27s.
The Olympic champion snatched the win in the last few metres ahead of Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba and Ajee Wilson, who both set national records.
Neeraj finishes seventh
In men’s javelin, India’s world junior champion Neeraj Chopra finished seventh with a throw of 78.92 metres in an event won by Germany’s Olympic champion Thomas Rohler with a 89.17effort.