Jamaica's Usain Bolt, shown here competing at the London Olympics last summer, kicked off his sprint season Saturday by making a rare appearance in a 400-metre race. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press)
Usain Bolt kicked off his sprint season Saturday by making a rare appearance in a 400-metre race and finishing in 46.74 seconds in Kingston, Jamaica.
Bolt, who has back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 100, 200 and 4x100-metre relay, overtook Allodin Fothergill in the homestretch to win his heat.
Bolt's biggest rival, Yohan Blake, ran 46.64 in a separate heat, finishing second to Warren Weir, the 200-metre Olympic bronze medallist , who finished in 46.23.
There were no finals in the small meet, the Camperdown Classic, which drew about three dozen sprinters to Kingston's National Stadium.
Bolt, the world-record holder in the 100 and 200, used to run the 200 and 400. But while getting ready for the 2008 Olympics, he took up the 100 and took a break from the longer distance.
