Multiple world record holder Usain Bolt proved he is back on track for August’s World Championships after winning the 200m as Oslo’s Bislett Games hosted the sixth Diamond League Meeting of the year.
The capacity crowd were forced to put their expectations on hold for five minutes as a false start saw European champion Churandy Martina (Netherlands) eventually red-carded, leaving the lane alongside Bolt’s lane six empty.
Bolt tore out of the blocks following the re-start and his trademark long striding pick-up off the bend had the spectators on their feet as the Jamaican finished clear in a world lead of 19.80 seconds, the first sub-20 clocking of the year.
Norwegian record-holder Jaysuma Saidy Ndure finished second in 20.36 seconds while James Ellington in third (20.55) led home a trio of GB sprinters David Bolarinwa in fifth (20.62) and Daniel Talbot sixth (20.72).
European champion Ivet Lalova (Bulgaria) snatched victory in the women’s 100m sprint in 11.04 seconds while Ayanieh Soulemon (Djibouti) won the Dream Mile a traditional highlight of the Bislett Games in three minutes 50.53 seconds, chased home by Nixon Chepseba (Kenya) 3:50.95.
The top GB track performance of the meeting came as Tiffany Porter won the 100m hurdles, timed at 12.76 seconds and ahead of Sara Aerts (Belgium) 12.95.
In the field, long jumper Sara Proctor, GB’s top performer in last weeks Rome meeting, excelled to win the competition with her first round 6.89m holding on ahead of Eloyse Lesueur (France) 6.68m.
The women’s 5,000m produced a world lead time as Olympic champion Meseret Defer (Ethiopia)clocked 14 minutes 26.91 seconds.
Another top distance performance was served up in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase with world junior champion Conseslus Kipruto winning in eight minutes 04.49 seconds.
Perri Shakes-Drayton started in determined mood in the 400m hurdles entering the home straight in second place as Olympic bronze medallist Zuzana Hejnova (Czech Republic) pulled away over the final 40m to clock a winning 53.60 seconds.
Shakes-Drayton followed in second timed at a season’s best of 54.03 seconds.
GB’s Nigel Levine placed third in the men’s 400m in a time of 45.65 while Martyn Rooney faded to sixth and finished in 46.11.