DAEGU, South Korea - Six days and a slow start later, Usain Bolt finally won gold at the world championships, running the fourth-fastest 200 meters in history to back up his showmanship with a stunning performance.
Bolt was slowest out of the blocks coming off his disqualification for a false start in the 100 final last Sunday that he blamed on "anxiety," but drove through the bend and powered to the line in 19.40 seconds, just 0.21 seconds of the world record he set to win his first world title two years ago.
"I was close to the world record," Bolt said. "Me, I wasn't in the best of shape, so I wasn't expecting world record. For me to come here and do 19.4 was a wonderful achievement."
Knowing he had something to prove, there was no braggadocio during the race. Instead, he gritted his teeth over the last 20 meters before dipping across the line for the fastest time in two years and fourth fastest ever.
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Walter Dix of the United States won his second sprint silver in 19.70 and Christophe Lemaitre earned bronze with a French record of 19.80.
Bolt was a defending champion coming through on a night of two big upsets at the worlds. In the high jump, Anna Chicherova of Russia beat two-time defending champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia.
The lone American jumper in that event was Arizona's Brigetta Barrett.
The UA junior cleared 6 feet, 4 inches to tie for 10th place. Her leap of 6-4 3/4 in Thursday's preliminaries tied her for the lead heading into Saturday's finals.
She completes her 2011 track season as one of the best in the world after NCAA indoor and outdoor titles, the U.S. championship and the World University Games crown.
In the men's javelin, Matthias De Zordo of Germany overcame favorite Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway for the win.
Sally Pearson ran the fastest 100 hurdles race in almost two decades to win gold. Pearson's time of 12.28 seconds was the fastest since 1992 and moved the Australian into fourth on the all-time list.
American Allyson Felix ran the second leg on the winning 1,600 relay team to claim her seventh gold over four world championships.
Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross failed to get gold in the individual 400, but built a big lead in running the first two legs of the relay to lead the U.S. to victory in 3 minutes, 18.09 seconds. Jamaica took silver in 3:18.71 and Russia earned bronze in 3:19.36.
The Kenyans extended their dominance of the middle- and long-distance events with Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop (3:35.69) leading Silas Kiplagat in the 1,500 for yet another Kenyan 1-2 finish.
Matthew Centrowitz of the United States came from behind to take bronze in 3:36.08.
Former ASU coach Bobby Hurley's name is in the Big Dance record book
