Bolt wins 100 meters in Paris after poor start
PARIS (Reuters) - Olympic champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica won the 100 meters at the Paris Golden League meeting on Friday in 9.79 seconds, his best time of the season.
On a chilly, rain swept evening, Daniel Bailey of Antigua came second in 9.91 and Jamaican Yohan Blake was third in 9.93.
Bolt, who holds the 100 record with 9.69 seconds set at the Beijing Olympic Games last year, was slow out of the blocks but pulled clear of the field after the first 50 meters.
"I had a bad start but that is all part of life and I (ended up) with a good time," he said.
Bolt ran Friday without his two main rivals -- American Tyson Gay, who set the fastest time this year of 9.77 seconds in Rome last week, and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell.
The 22-year-old Bolt, who also set world records in winning the 200 metres and 4x100 relay in Beijing, said Friday's meeting was an important stage in his preparation for next month's world championships in Berlin.
Bolt is favorite to steal Gay's 100 and 200 crowns. His previous best time this year was 9.86 in June in Kingston.
(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Ken Ferris)
