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Athletics

Bolt breaks 100m world record in New York

01/06/2008

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has broken the 100m world record at a meeting in New York, clocking a time of 9.72 seconds.

Bolt's time was 0.02 seconds quicker than the previous mark set by compatriot Asafa Powell.

American Tyson Gay was beaten in to second place despite setting a personal best time of 9.85 seconds.

Bolt has only recently switched to running the 100m and still perceives himself as a 200m specialist.

The Jamaican said he had taken on the 100m in order to improve his starts in the 200m, an event in which he earned a silver medal at last year's World Championships.

Having previously clocked a time of 9.76 seconds Bolt described his race in New York as "99 per cent perfect".

Bolt claimed he did not set out to set the record last night but was pleased to have achieved the ground breaking mark.

He said: "I don't need to break the record again. It's mine now."

Although he has only ever raced in five 100m races Bolt says his success has convinced him to run the event at the Beijing Olympics and he is now targeting a gold medal at the Games.

He said: "The world record means nothing without gold medals in the World Championships or the Olympics.

"If you are the Olympic champion, they have to wait four years to try to beat you."

Bolt stands at 6ft 5ins and Gay felt that gave the Jamaican an advantage. He explained: "We were on the same rhythm but his stride was covering more ground."