Usain Bolt labours to victory in New York Diamond League 200m
- Published
Usain Bolt laboured to victory in the 200m at the New York Diamond League meeting.
The Jamaican world record holder clocked 20.29 seconds, edging out 19-year-old Zharnel Hughes of Anguilla.
"I wasn't too happy with the time today," said Bolt. "But training has been going well and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season."
In the men's 100m, American Tyson Gay pipped Keston Bledman in a time of 10.12 with Nesta Carter third.
Watch highlights of the meeting on BBC Two at 12:45 BST on Sunday
Six-time Olympic gold medallist Bolt has yet to break 20 seconds for 200m this year, while American rival Justin Gatlin clocked a world-leading 19.68 at the Eugene Diamond League meet last month. Gatlin's 9.74 in Doha is also the fastest 100m time of the year.
The pair are yet to meet on the track this season, although with the World Championships in Beijing just over two months away, Bolt has played down concerns over his fitness and laughed off suggestions he is running scared of the American.
The 28-year-old, who set the current 200m world record of 19.19 at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009, has said he will retire after the 2017 World Championships in London.
Britain's Tiffany Porter clocked 12.81 to finish second to Sharika Nelvis in the 100m hurdles, while Shana Cox (52.62) was runner-up to Deedee Trotter in the 400m.
Shara Proctor was third in the women's long jump with a best of 6.72m, while Lynsey Sharp (two minutes 0.37 seconds) and Jenny Meadows (2:00.55) both recorded season best times but finished sixth and eighth respectively in the 800m.
Isobel Pooley cleared a season's best 1.91m in the high jump, finishing fourth in an event won by Spain's Ruth Beitia on countback.
In the 800m, Kenya's Olympic champion David Rudisha (1:43.58) recorded his best time of the year in beating home favourite Boris Berian.
David Oliver won the men's 110m hurdles, ahead of Jason Richardson, and in the 400m hurdles there was victory for Javier Culson.
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