ROME, May 26 (Reuters) - Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt won in his first race of the season but had to dip his muscular frame at the line to beat fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell in the 100 metres at a Diamond League meet on Thursday.
Bolt, in his first competitive outing since losing to American Tyson Gay nine months ago, was slow off the blocks and had to come through most of the field before powering ahead in the last five metres to win in 9.91 seconds in humid conditions.
It was his ninth victory in 10 races against Powell, who ran 9.93 with Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre third in 10 seconds.
“I don’t think I should be judged on today’s performance,” Bolt told reporters. “It was my first race for nine months and I was nervous. I had to get the cobwebs out and the muscles going but it’s a good start to the season by winning.”
The 24-year-old, wheeled around the stadium in a golf buggy before the race to thunderous applause from a 47,732 crowd, was more restrained than usual after the closest of wins, performing his trademark arrow pose only after a laboured lap of honour.
“I got a bad start, didn’t do well in my transition but I got through it and am looking forward to the next race,” he said. “I’ll have to look at the tape and see what I need to improve. I’m injury free which is key.”
Powell, who led for much of the race, said he would get another chance this season to beat Nolt, the three-times gold medallist at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2009 world championships in Berlin.
“I wouldn’t say it was a missed opportunity because it’s a long season and there are many races to run,” said the 28-year old. “This is the most people I’ve ever seen in the stands. I thought, ‘This is ridiculous’. They came to see a great performance and they got it.”
Bolt, in his first competitive outing since losing to American Tyson Gay nine months ago, was slow off the blocks and had to come through most of the field before powering ahead in the last five metres to win in 9.91 seconds in humid conditions.
It was his ninth victory in 10 races against Powell, who ran 9.93 with Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre third in 10 seconds.
“I don’t think I should be judged on today’s performance,” Bolt told reporters. “It was my first race for nine months and I was nervous. I had to get the cobwebs out and the muscles going but it’s a good start to the season by winning.”
The 24-year-old, wheeled around the stadium in a golf buggy before the race to thunderous applause from a 47,732 crowd, was more restrained than usual after the closest of wins, performing his trademark arrow pose only after a laboured lap of honour.
“I got a bad start, didn’t do well in my transition but I got through it and am looking forward to the next race,” he said. “I’ll have to look at the tape and see what I need to improve. I’m injury free which is key.”
Powell, who led for much of the race, said he would get another chance this season to beat Nolt, the three-times gold medallist at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2009 world championships in Berlin.
“I wouldn’t say it was a missed opportunity because it’s a long season and there are many races to run,” said the 28-year old. “This is the most people I’ve ever seen in the stands. I thought, ‘This is ridiculous’. They came to see a great performance and they got it.”
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