Bolt makes light of car crash

Source: Agencies  |   2009-5-19  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

USAIN Bolt ran the world's fastest 150 meters to win a soggy street sprint on Sunday that marked his return to action after a car crash left him requiring foot surgery.

In windy Manchester, the triple Olympic champion ran down the northern English city's main thoroughfare in 14.35 seconds, breaking Donovan Bailey's 12-year-old world best of 14.99 in the rarely run 150. Pietro Mennea of Italy ran in a hand-timed 14.8 in 1983.

"It is one more to the tally," the 22-year-old Bolt said. "It's my first major competition of the season so I was just happy to come out and run injury free and run a good time."

The Jamaican appeared to stumble after surging out of the blocks but then got into his stride. But he then struggled to slow down after the finish despite organizers extending the temporary track by 70 meters and crashed into a camera.

"I was kind of worried, I thought I was going to die at the end," he joked. "My agent told me that the finish of the race was the clock and I was running after the race was done, about 50 meters more.

"I think I could go even quicker because I'm not in the best of shape now and I slipped at the start a little bit. I'm probably only 70 percent fit and I've got a lot of work to do and need to buckle down right now."

Last month, Bolt crashed his BMW into a ditch along a highway in Jamaica and required minor surgery on his left foot after stepping onto thorns while getting out of the wreckage.

Marlon Devonish of Britain was second in 15.07, followed by Ivory Williams of the United States and Britain's Rikki Fifton in the four-man race.

Debbie McKenzie Ferguson of the Bahamas won the women's race in 16.54 ahead of Britain's Olympic 400 champion Christine Ohuruogu, who finished in 17.10.

Bolt made a quick dash from the center to Old Trafford to attend Manchester United's player of the year awards ceremony. He saw his favorite team win the English Premier League title on Saturday from the directors' box.

Bolt established himself as the world's fastest man with some great performances at the Beijing Olympics, setting world records in the 100 and 200 meters while also being part of the Jamaican team that broke the world mark in the 400-meter relay.