Usain Bolt ran under 10 seconds for the first time this year as he narrowly won the 100 meters at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Friday.
The eight-times Olympic sprinting champion was slow out of the blocks, just as he was in his last race in Ostrava last month, and never managed to put a big gap between him and the field.
He won in 9.95 seconds, three hundredths of a second ahead of American Isiah Young. South Africa’s Akani Simbine was third in 10.02.
Before the meeting, the Jamaican went to Germany to have treatment for back issues that have troubled him for years. It was his last outing before next month’s world championships in London where he will race in the 100 meters and 4x100m relay.
“It was good, I’m going into right direction, still a lot of work to do,” said Bolt, who is scheduled to retire after the world championships.
“I’m always here for the fans, and of course I will miss the vibe around the track. Mixed emotions always — happy for my career, sad that it is ending. Sub 10 is always good. It was an exciting race, lots of energy.”
