Bolt opens season with solid 400m

KINGSTON (AFP) –

Jamaican sprint hero Usain Bolt, pictured on August 5, 2012, won his 400-metre heat while Yohan Blake was beaten by Warren Weir on Saturday as the athletes opened their 2013 season at the Camperdown Classic.

Jamaican sprint hero Usain Bolt won his 400-metre heat while Yohan Blake was beaten by Warren Weir on Saturday as the athletes opened their 2013 season at the Camperdown Classic.

Weir, the 200m bronze medallist at the London Olympics last year, emerged with the meet’s overall 400m title with a time of 46.23sec.

Blake, the double Olympic sprint silver medallist, clocked 46.77 in the same heat.

In an earlier heat, Bolt trailed Riker Hylton — a genuine quarter-miler — into the last 40m but won the heat in 46.74.

“I felt a bit nervous,” Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record-holder, said of his season opener. “I just came out here to win and I’m glad I won injury free.”

Bolt, who spectacularly defended his three gold medals — in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m — at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, said he might run a couple more 400m races this season, and that his time so early in the season “shows that I am in good shape.”

Blake, who said he started training a little late, was also pleased with his performance.

“I’m happy with the run, despite the time,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Meanwhile, over in Montego Bay, Asafa Powell teamed with Winston Barnes, Nesta Carter and Roman Nichol to win the men’s 4x100m relay at the Milo Western Relays in 38.62.

Two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce anchored an MVP club quartet to victory in the women’s relay in 44.03.