World record holder Usain Bolt cruised to an easy victory over European champion Christophe Lemaitre in the 200 meters at the Areva athletics meeting Friday.
The Jamaican sprinter clocked 20.03 seconds, well off his record of 19.19 set at the 2009 world championships in Berlin. It was enough to outclass Lemaitre of France, who finished second in 20.21.
Bolt has been working on his technique lately, before defending his world titles next month in South Korea.
In the men’s 400 meters, South African amputee Oscar Pistorius finished fifth in 45.84, failing to reach the 45.25 time that would automatically qualify him for the worlds. Christopher Brown of the Bahamas won in 44.94, with American Jeremy Wariner – winner of the Olympic gold in 2004 and silver in 2008 – fourth in 45.50.
