Bolt takes crack at 200m in Ostrava »

Bolt takes crack at 200m in Ostrava

Usain Bolt of Jamaica waves to the crowd after setting a new world record of 9.72 seconds in the men's 100 meters at the Reebok Grand Prix athletics meet on Saturday, May 31, in New York. - AP

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic (CMC):

The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt of Jamaica, tackles a 200-metre assignment and headlines the names listed for the Ostrava Golden Spike and field meeting this evening.

After his stunning world-record, 100-metre run at the Reebok Grand Prix two weekends ago, the 21-year-old Bolt appears poised for another rapid run over the trip he still considers his favourite.

Bolt already has a big name over 200 metres, with a personal best time of 19.75 seconds - the ninth fastest all time - and his CARIFTA Games 19.93 victory four years ago in Bermuda is still the world junior record.

His sudden rise in the 100 metres has been astounding, since it is an event he never focused on.

Bolt had threatened his Jamaican colleague Asafa Powell's world record when he clocked 9.76 seconds at the Jamaica International Invitational in early May and then smashed the mark with his 9.72-second run four weeks later at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York.

His rivals in the Ostrava 200 metres include Zimbabwe's Brian Dzingai, Britain's Marlon Devonish and Stephane Buckland of Mauritius.

Bolt will not be the only top Caribbean sprinter at the meet.

The 2007 Osaka World Championship silver medallist, Derrick Atkins of The Bahamas, will compete in the 100 metres after his wind-assisted win in 9.98 seconds at the Bislett Games Golden League meeting last Friday.

Rivals

Olympic 400-metre champion Jeremy Wariner will contest the rarely run 300 metres with Jamaican Xavier Brown and Dominica's Chris Lloyd among his rivals.

Jamaican Ricardo Chambers is entered for the men's 400 metres.

Improving Jamaican Melaine Walker continues her Olympic Games build-up by racing in the women's 400-metre hurdles against Poland's Anna Jesien and American Christine Spence.

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