ZURICH, Switzerland, CMC – Jamaican Kerron Stewart agonizingly missed out on a chance at the US$1 million Golden League jackpot but counterpart Usain Bolt did not disappoint as he sizzled to a dramatic come-from-behind win here yesterday.
Stewart, who had won her four previous Golden League meetings in Berlin, Oslo, Rome and Paris respectively, finished second in the 100 metres as American Carmelita Jeter stormed to victory in 10.86 seconds.
In the men’s 100 metres, an upset appeared on the cards for the seemingly impregnable Bolt when fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell got away quickly to open up a sizeable lead.
But the gifted Bolt, who set new world records in winning the sprint double at the recent World Championships in Berlin, produced a stunning comeback to overtake Powell and clinch victory in 9.81 seconds.
The 25-year-old Stewart, who claimed silver at the World Championships, entered ysterday’s Golden League meet needing to win to keep alive her hopes of taking the million-dollar jackpot.
However, the double Olympic medallist clocked a disappointing 11.04 seconds to finish second, ruining her chances of the jackpot heading into the final event in Brussels next week.
Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie finished third in a similar time while Jamaica’s Olympic and World champion Shelly-Ann Fraser finished a surprising fourth in 11.10 seconds, with Bahamian Chandra Sturrup fifth in 11.13 seconds.
Bolt, meanwhile, ensured there would be sudden end to his dominance of track and field as he produced an exhilarating acceleration over the final 40 metres to maintain his winning record.
In his first race since his theatrics in Berlin, the 23-year-old double Olympic and World champion got away slowly from the blocks as Powell sped to the front to take control of the race at the half-way point.
Appearing beaten, Bolt unleashed a burst of late speed to disdainfully roar past his rivals to reach the line ahead of Powell who clocked 9.88 seconds to be second.
American Darvis Patton was third in 9.95 seconds with the Caribbean trio of Marc Burns (Trinidad & Tobago), Michael Frater (Jamaica) and Richard Thompson (T&T) fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.
Despite his fatigue, Bolt gave the Letzigrund Stadium more to shout about in anchoring Jamaica to the 4×100 metres win.
Receiving the baton after American Wallace Spearmon, Bolt sensationally ate up ground to spectacularly overhaul Spearmon and give Jamaica victory in 37.70 seconds.
There was disappointment for recently crowned sprint hurdles World champion, Barbadian Ryan Brathwaite who could only finish third as Jamaican Dwight Thomas raced to victory in a new national record of 13.16 seconds.
The new time bettered the 13.17 set by countryman Maurice Wignall who finished down the field in seventh on Friday.
Brigitte Foster-Hylton ensured Jamaica completed a sweep of the sprint hurdles as she captured that event in 12.46 seconds, ahead of American Dawn Harper (12.48) and Canadian Perdita Felicien (12.61).
The win for Foster-Hylton was an extension of the form she displayed in Berlin recently when she crowned herself World Champion.
Jamaican Shericka Williams, who won silver at the World Championships, claimed third in the women’s 400 metres in 50.40 seconds behind American Sanya Richards who won in 48.94 seconds to remain in the hunt for the million-dollar jackpot.
Bahamian Leevan Sands, meanwhile, claimed bronze in the men’s triple jump with a jump of 17.10 metres, as Portugal’s Nelson Évora leapt 17.38 metres to notch victory.
