Bolt fires Gay aside as Dibaba shines in Paris

Usain Bolt fired out a warning to American arch-rival Tyson Gay by scorching to a world-leading time of 19.73 seconds in 200m at the Paris Diamond League meet. The 26-year-old Jamaican, a two-time Olympic and world champion over the distance, held off the attentions of compatriot Warren Weir on Saturday to streak past the field in emphatic style.

Edging Gay’s season best by one-hundredth of a second was the perfect broadside in the run-up to what promises to be a keenly contested World Athletics Championships in Moscow between 10-18 

August.

‘All is building up towards a great world championships, you will see a big show there, it will 

be the climax. And I want to be ready for that,’ warned Bolt. 

In perfect conditions with temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius (81F), Bolt led a host of impressive performances from a stellar line-up on the track and in the field. Grenada’s Olympic and world 400m champion Kirani James ran a seemingly effortless world leading time of 43.96sec, holding off a late surge from American LaShawn Merritt, the man who previously held both titles.

James, who became Grenada’s first Olympic medallist in any sport in London, said it was impossible to nail down one thing as essential for winning gold in Moscow. ‘Weather, shape, conditions, all that will play a role and there will be seven other guys in the final,’ he said.

‘You always need to pay attention to runners like LaShawn, if he were far too ahead, it’d be tough to catch and beat him,’ he added. Ethiopian long-distance superstar Tirunesh Dibaba flew to a meeting record of 14:23.68 in women’s 5000m, the seventh fastest of all time behind her own world record. Dibaba, twice Olympic and world champion, had compatriot Almaz Ayana for company with 800m to go, but she was never in danger as she sprinted home.