Yohan Blake becomes 3rd man to run 9.69

Olympic silver medallist Yohan Blake ran a blistering time of 9.69 seconds to win the men’s 100-metre race at Thursday’s Athletissima Diamond League meet in Lausanne, Switzerland, giving the Jamaican sprinter a share of the claim of second-fastest man in history.

The time shaved 6-100ths off his personal best, set twice earlier this season, and was the fastest ever on the Lausanne track. Blake was aided by 1.4 metre per second of wind assistance.

"I knew I was fast and my coach told me I could run faster," said Blake, who shares coach Glen Mills with Bolt. "Today I could finally prove it."

Only Usain Bolt has ever run a faster time in the 100m. Bolt clocked a 9.63 in winning his second straight Olympic gold medal earlier this month in London (where Blake ran a 9.75 to take silver) and he holds the world record of 9.58 from the 2009 world championships in Berlin.

Bolt ran a then world record 9.69 when he won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"9.69 is a wonderful result," said Bolt of his training partner. "I knew he is going to push real hard tonight."

American Tyson Gay, the runner-up in Thursday's 100, has also run a 9.69 in the past.

Bolt wins 200 with ease

Bolt posted a meet-record time of his own Thursday, running 19.58 to cruise to victory in the 200 metres.

Bolt ran a 19.32 in London to win his second consecutive Olympic gold.

"This season has not always been great but I'm thrilled with the way it is finishing," Bolt said.

However, the season is unlikely to climax with another Bolt vs. Blake match. They are set to avoid each other in the final two Diamond League meets, at Zurich next Thursday and Brussels a week later.

Other notable results from Thursday's meet:

Women’s 100m

American Carmelita Jeter edged Olympic champion and Diamond League leader Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in an extremely tight finish.

Jeter, the runner-up in London who also sits second in the Diamond League standings, and Fraser-Pryce were both clocked at 10.86 seconds, followed closely by Trinidad and Tobago’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste in 10.93. Olympic bronze medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica was fourth in 10.99.

Men’s 110m hurdles

Olympic silver medallist Jason Richardson won the race after fellow American and Olympic champion Aries Merritt was disqualified for a false start.

Women’s 100m hurdles

Dawn Harper, the Olympic silver medallist, led an American sweep of the top three spots. Canadian Olympian Phylicia George finished fourth, and former Diamond League champion Priscilla Lopes-Schliep was seventh.

Men’s high jump

Qatar’s Moutaz Essa Barshim Ahmed defeated Olympic winner Ivan Ukhov. Canada’s Mike Mason finished ninth.

Women’s 800m

Kenya’s Pamela Jelimo won in 1:57.59. Canada’s Diane Cummins finished fourth in 2:00.62, and Hilary Stellingwerff was sixth in 2:01.22 for a new personal best.