17 May 2009

In the afternoon events at the Manchester Games, amidst the pouring rain in Lancashire, lightning struck the streets of Manchester as double Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt stormed to victory in the 150m showcase event in 14.35 (+1.1).

The four lane track was populated with two British athletes, having made the cut after qualifying rounds. Marlon Devonish and Rikki Fifton competed against world record holder Bolt alongside American athlete Ivory Williams.

All three were left trailing in Bolt’s wake but Devonish, who has recently returned from warm weather training in the USA, finished in second place with15.07. Williams was narrowly third in 15.08 while Fifton finished fourth in 15.13.

Bolt, who will compete at the Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on 24-25 July, said: "It’s my first major competition of the season. I still have a lot of work to do, there’s some more hard work to put in before the season kicks off. If I’m in good shape anything’s possible The crowd came out and stodd in the rain, that’s great support." 

In the women’s race American Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie clocked 16.54 secs to beat Olympic 400m gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu, who ran 17.10 secs.

Earlier this morning Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie won the Great Manchester Run 10km race in a time of 27 minutes 39 seconds. Chris Thompson was the best-placed Briton in sixth place.

Vivian Cheruiyot, won the women’s race in a time of 32:01, and like Gebrselassie her speed in the first half of the race was severely reduced in the second half by the weather.

Brian Alldis, coached by Paralympic legend Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, won the men’s wheelchair race in 23:20 ahead of Tushar Patel and Daniel Lucker.

Paralympic 1500m silver medallist Shelly Woods won the women’s race ahead of Sarah Piercy.