After 'horrible' turn, Usain Bolt is pushed in 200-meter win
NEW YORK – Usain Bolt burst out of his start, prepared for the turn and … nothing.
Running the 200 meters in a competitive event for just the second time since 2013, the six-time Olympic gold medalist exited the Adidas Grand Prix on Randall's Island with concerns about his performance, even as his time of 20.29 seconds – achieved in the face of steady winds – led the seven-person field.
"I'm definitely not happy about my performance today," Bolt said. "My turn was horrible. I don't know what happened. I really can't explain. It was really bad. It was probably one of the worst turns I've ever run in my entire life."
Anguilla's Zharnel Hughes finished second with a time of 20.32 and Jamaica's Julian Forte third at 20.46. American sprinters Terrel Cotton (20.63) and Charles Silmon (21.24) finished fifth and seventh, respectively.
The good news: Bolt was still able to clock a winning time despite the flawed run, and did so despite not straining himself down the stretch – saying he "pretty much gave up" during the final straightaway even as Hughes drew close.
Two factors concern the Jamaican star, however. One is his technique, which he called a nonissue during training. He's just not "executing right" in competition, Bolt said.
That will send Bolt and his coach, Glen Mills, back to the drawing board with two months until the World Championships in Beijing.
"I care about my legacy, but this season's not going so smoothly," Bolt said. "I'm trying to figure out what going's wrong. I need to get on top of things and work my way back. I have to sit with my coach and analyze and figure out what's going on and fix it."
The race was just Bolt's second competitive 200 in more than two years, and the finish marked a slight dip to the 20.13 he ran in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on May 26.
Bolt owns the world record in the 200 with a time of 19.19 seconds set in 2009. The eight-time world champion also owns the world record in the 100 meters (9.59 seconds) and is the only male sprinter to win gold in the 100 and 200 in consecutive Olympic Games.
The fastest time in the 200 in 2015 belongs to Bolt's primary rival, American sprinter Justin Gatlin, who ran a 19.68 in Eugene, Ore., on May 30. Gatlin also owns the world's fastest time in the 100 (9.74) this season, painting the two gold-medal favorites as rivals heading into the World Championships.
Neither Bolt nor Gatlin competed in the 100 meters at the Grand Prix, which was won by American Tyson Gay with a time of 10.12.
Finishing under 20 seconds in the 200 was one of Bolt's two primary goals heading into the event, he said on Friday, joining continued work on his technique after an injury-hampered 2014 season.
In the long run, another two goals have motivated Bolt through the final stages of an illustrious career: one, breaking his own world record in the 200 and finishing under 19 seconds, and two, winning gold for the third time at next summer's Rio Games.
After a disappointing performance at the Grand Prix, however, Bolt turned his attention more to immediate concerns, not another opportunity for Olympic gold.
"Right now I'm not even worried about Rio," he said. "I'm worried about what's happening and I just need to try to figure out what's going on this season. I need to buckle down and get everything right."