Bolt pleased after 400m win in season opener

KINGSTON, Jamaica,  CMC – Sprint star Usain Bolt says he is pleased with his opening race of the year after winning his 400 metres heat at the Camperdown Classic here Saturday.

The double Olympic sprint champion eased down to win in 46.71 seconds at the National Stadium and afterwards told reporters the outing had been a comfortable one.

“For me it was just to complete the race, and I will probably have one more or two for the season, depending on what the coach wants,” said the 26-year-old.

“Physically it was ok. It felt good, not as good as I usually feel, but it was a smooth race, so I can’t complain as I wasn’t as tied up in the finish.”
There was no such success for Bolt’s training partner Yohan Blake who finished second in his heat to Olympic 200 metres bronze medallist Warren Weir.
Blake, the reigning 100m World champion, clocked 46.64 seconds while Weir was timed at 46.21.

However, Blake brushed aside the defeat, maintaining his confidence about his title defence in Moscow in August.
“Trust me, my training is going really well and I am confident that with the World Championships coming up I can defend my title,” he stressed.
All three athletes were stars at the Summer Olympics in London last year.

Bolt became the first ever runner to repeat as champion in the 100 and 200m while Blake copped silver in both sprints.
Weir, in his first Olympiad, finished third in the 200m in a historic podium sweep for Jamaica.