With all the Euro preparation, Stanley Cup Finals and NBA Playoffs, we forgot the second biggest sporting event in the world is coming this summer – The 2012 London Olympics. Usain Bolt, probably the most incredible athlete to look forward to seeing in London, reminded us of what’s ahead by setting a season best 9.76 in the Diamond League meet in Rome.
It shouldn’t be surprising to see Bolt winning a 100 meter race and setting the best time of the year. After all, he did run 9.82 in Jamaica this month. But his disappointing result in Ostrava, finishing with an un-Bolt like 10.04. He attributed the result to fatigue. This time, in Rome, his first Diamond League race of the year, Bolt was energized.
He showed up two hours early to get the 60,000 in attendance pumped up. There are few showmen like Bolt, not just in athletics but in the entire world of sports. After getting used to see him accomplish the impossible and then disappointing with his disqualification in the 2011 World Championships, Bolt is still the most intriguing figure in Olympics Sports.
No wind, but a relatively good start from the 25 year old record holder put him way in front of countryman Asafa Powell (9.91) and French Christophe Lemaitre finished third with 10.04. Bolt set a new record for the track, previously a 9.77 held by American Tyson Gay.
Since I arrived in Rome I made sure to be in bed early. So I got a lot of rest and slept a lot. In Ostrava I had not had enough sleep. This race was much better.
Bolt plans to race in Oslo next week before heading back to Jamiaca for the national trials, which are usually the actual world championships for 100 & 200 meter races for both Men and Women. He’ll run the 200 in Monaco on July 20. The London Olympics begin a week later.