Usain Bolt disappointed with performance at Ostrava

Bolt at the IAAF World Relays earlier this month

Jamaican Bolt, a 6-time Olympic medallist, ran his first race of the year at the in Europe at the Czech venue. Although it was an easy victory for him, he was unable to break 20 seconds in the 200m. “You can’t be satisfied if I don’t break 200m in 20 seconds”, the 28-year-old told reporters.

He beat American athlete Isaiah Young to win the title, in a venue still wet from rain. Bolt had a time of 20.13, nearly a minute higher than his own previous record of 19.19.

Bolt’s compatriot, former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell, won that event with a time of 10.04. Like Bolt, he was well under his personal best of 9.84, which he set at Kingston in his home country, at the Jamaica International Invitational earlier this year.

“I need to get myself into running shape,” Bolt told gathered reporters at Ostrava. "I really wanted to [break 20 seconds] but the conditions didn't allow. And I'm coming back from injuries, so it's going to take time." He was disappointed in his time, calling the run ‘pointless’ and saying he was ‘glad to get out of it injury free.’

800m Olympic champion,Kenyan David Rudisha, running the 600m, came up early with an injury, suffering a muscle pull in his thigh. The injury was evaluated and found to not be severe.

Bolt will be a part of the IAAF World Championships to be held this august in Beijing, although none of his direct rivals at that event were running against him in this race. His most significant competitor will be American Olympic gold winner and 100m champion Justin Gatlin.