8 Jul 2009

Bolt defies rain to record fourth-fastest 200 metres

10:05 am on 8 July 2009

The Olympic champion Usain Bolt has clocked the fourth fastest 200 metres time ever to win the Lausanne Grand Prix in 19.59 seconds in torrential rain.

The Jamaican dominated from the gun and crossed the line a massive 0.82 seconds ahead of the American LaShawn Merritt, the Olympic 400 metres champion.

Bolt was 0.29 seconds outside the world record he set at last year's Olympics.

Jamaica dominated the sprints as Asafa Powell won the 100 metres, Shelly-Ann Fraser took the women's 100 and Kerron Stewart the women's 200.

But the Jamaican Olympic champion Melaine Walker was beaten into fourth in the women's 400 metres hurdles which Tiffany Ross-Williams of the U.S. won.