Instant Analysis - Bolt Makes It Reign In Zürich

Usain Bolt meet the world’s sports fans. World sports fans meet Usain Bolt of Jamaica—the track's newly crowned megastar.

-Zurich, Switzerland-The Golden League meet in Zürich was the perfect setting for lightening quick times. A sold out crowd of 22,000 spectators provided an electric atmosphere that produced some extremely fast times. A bit of fatigue from the Olympic Games appeared evident on the part of distance runners, but the sprinters put down some fast times.

Before the gun went off, it was the usual routine. Usain Bolt was bobbing and weaving and playing it up before getting into the blocks. When his name was called out, the fans gave went wild for the man who less than two weeks ago was apart of three world record performances. The Olympic champion could have at least made it look somewhat difficult. Bolt gave the fans their money's worth. He got out to a slow start before blazing 9.83 seconds over 100-meters. The reigning Olympic champion was ahead of Walter Dix (9.93) and Richard Thompson (10.09).

Where was his kick when Wariner needed it the most two weeks ago? Reigning Olympic champ LaShawn Merrittt had the inside lane today, but it was not good enough to beat Jeremy Wariner. Coming down the final turn, Wariner had a one step lead that he opened up to about five meters winning in 43.82 over Merritt (44.43).

Lolo Jones picked up where she left off before hitting a hurdle in Beijing. The U.S. Olympic Trials champion won in 12.56, beating a field which included 110-meter hurdle Olympic champion Dawn Harper. Harper (12.73) finished in a distant seventh place.

It was certainly a win, but it was not the win that Sanya Richards has been dreaming about for quite some time. After winning bronze in Bejing, Richards won a commanding race today in a season’s best time of 49.75. There have been assertions that Richards choked in the 400-meter Olympic final. The real story is that Richards didn’t run fast enough to beat the world’s best. The looming question is why this season the American record holder has not been within a second of the 48.70 that she ran back in 2006.

The 110 hurdles was a close one. David Oliver, the only man to defeat Olympic champion Dayron Robles of Cuba, almost accomplished that feat for a second time this season. Oliver raced Robles down to the end, but came up short.

It may not have been as clean as the 400 hurdle victory in Beijing. But Angelo Taylor (48.07) took it out extremely hard the first half of the race before finishing ahead of Kerron Clement (48.20) of the U.S. and Jamaica’s Danny McFarland (48.40). Bershawn Jackson (49.18) finished in seventh place.

By Jay Hicks.