Sprinter Bolt sets another world mark

BERLIN – Teeth clenched, Usain Bolt grimaced as he churned toward the finish line, hoping to coax a fraction more out of his 6-foot-5 frame.

The big, yellow numbers flashing another world-record time told the Jamaican sprinter he had achieved what he wanted out of the 200 meters Thursday at the world championships.

Beyond the mark of 19.19 seconds, though, was something else – the fact that he is altering his sport.

For the second straight race – five in a row, if his record-breaking runs at the Beijing Olympics are counted – Bolt’s biggest competitor was the clock. He bettered his world record by a whopping .11 seconds, the same margin he shaved off the 100 four days earlier, when he finished in 9.58.

“I’m on my way to being a legend,” Bolt said, without a trace of arrogance.

No debate there.

He is erasing chunks of time from records that normally take years to break. He is beating the so-called competition by body lengths – this time, Alonso Edward of Panama was 0.62 seconds behind – in a sport often decided by photo finishes.

“He’s a gift to this earth,” said American sprinter Shawn Crawford, who finished fourth. “He’s a blessing to the track game. … I’m just waiting for the lights to flash ‘game over,’ ’cause I felt like I was in a video game.”

Bolt can’t be caught, even when he gives away tips. Just before the start of the race, Bolt told good friend Wallace Spearmon to stay close to him on the curve and follow him home.

The American tried.

“Even if I run the best turn of my life, I’m still going to be behind,” said Spearmon, who finished with the bronze. “I knew what was in store for the race. I expected it to be at least that fast.”

When he saw his record time, Bolt pointed at the display, then stuck out his tongue in his best Michael Jordan impersonation.

“Even us in the field, we think there is going to be something phenomenal from him,” Crawford said.

Bolt feeds off the energy from the crowd. The louder they get, the more playful he becomes.

He showed up at the start wearing a T-shirt with a new take on President Kennedy’s famous Cold War quote “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

This time, the slogan said, “Ich bin ein Berlino,” a reference to the bear mascot of the championships.

The audience ate it up.

Then it was time to go to work in his yam-colored Pumas. He jetted out of the blocks, turned the corner and it was over.

In other finals:

•Trey Hardee won the decathlon, edging Leonel Suarez of Cuba. He joins Americans Dan O’Brien, Tom Pappas and Bryan Clay as decathlon winners at world championships.

•Bolt’s teammate Melaine Walker added the world title to her Olympic gold in the women’s 400 hurdles. Lashinda Demus of the U.S. captured the silver.

•Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados won the 110 hurdles in a photo finish. Americans Terrence Trammell and David Payne finished second and third, respectively. Dayron Robles, the Olympic champion from Cuba, hurt his hamstring in the semifinal round.

•Blanka Vlasic of Croatia defended her title in the high jump.