Usain Bolt wins the 100 meters comfortably at Areva Meeting

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — World record-holder Usain Bolt comfortably won the 100 meters at the Areva Meeting on Friday, just missing Tyson Gay’s season-best time as he gears up for next month’s world championships in Berlin.

The Jamaican won in 9.79 seconds. Gay ran 9.77 last week at the Golden Gala in Rome.

“I had a bad start, but I ran a good time,” Bolt said. “Overall, it wasn’t a perfect race but it was good enough for me.”

Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda was second to Bolt in 9.91, and Yohan Blake of Jamaica was third in 9.93 in light drizzle and chilly wind.

Bolt won the 100 and 200 at last year’s Beijing Olympics in world records. He also helped Jamaica win the 400 relay in record time. His goal now is to beat Gay, the defending 100 and 200 champion, in Berlin.

“Overall, it’s a good time definitely,” Bolt said. “I think it’s very important to show the world that last year [in the Olympics] wasn’t a joke. It’s good to show the world that this is not a joke and I’m ready. I’m looking forward to the worlds.”

Also winning were Sanya Richards of the United States at 400 meters, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia at 3,000 meters, Yelena Isinbaeva of Russia in the pole vault and Kerron Stewart of Jamaica at 100 meters.

They stayed on course for a share of the $1 million Golden League jackpot at the end of the season after four legs of the six-leg Golden League.

Bekele dominated rival Bernard Lagat in the 3,000, surging ahead by 30 meters with three laps to go, and extending the gap by the end. He won in 7 minutes, 28.64 seconds, while Lagat finished in 7:33.15.

Stewart cruised home in the 100 in 10.99, well ahead of Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas.

Richards beat second-place Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica by more than one second, finishing in 49.34. That took Richards below 50 seconds for the 37th time, breaking Marita Koch’s record for most performances under 50.