MONACO – World and Olympic champion Usain Bolt needed a late surge to narrowly beat fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter in the 100 metres with his season’s best time of 9.88 seconds at the Monaco Diamond League meeting Friday night.
Bolt overhauled his compatriot, who ran his season’s best of 9.90, in the last 15 metres, while American Michael Rodgers finished third with 9.96.
“It was not the best start, but I executed well overall,” Bolt told reporters after finding his form in his last scheduled meeting ahead of next month’s World Championships.
“My last 60 metres have improved dramatically. I need to work on my reaction time, but I’ve been doing great in training, so I’m just focusing and I feel ready.
“My aim this season is to run 9.7, maybe 9.6. For me, this year it’s about building myself and going into the Olympic season fit and ready. London (2012 Olympics) is the key.”
Bolt set his 100-metre record of 9.58 at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin and will defend his title at the August 27 to September 4 edition in Daegu, South Korea.
He will face competition from compatriot Asafa Powell who set a world leading time of 9.78 in Lausanne last month.
Among the other athletes posting world leading times ahead of the Worlds were 800-metre world record holder David Rudisha, the Kenyan winning in one minute, 42.61 seconds.
