Bolt wraps up golden season with Brussels win

Jamaican track star Usain Bolt wrapped up another gold-laden year at the season-ending Diamond League meet on Friday with victory in 9.80sec in the 100m. Fresh from winning treble sprint gold at last month's world championships in Moscow, the 27-year-old led four others through the line in sub-10sec times. American Michael Rodgers claimed second in a season's best of 9.90sec, with Jamaica's Nesta Carter nipping world silver medallist Justin Gatlin for third after both were clocked at 9.94, Bolt's training partner Kemar Bailey-Cole timing 9.98sec. "It's my last race of the season, the time's close to my season's best (of 9.77sec), I'm happy," said Bolt. "This was close to the 'Usain Bolt fashion', not only because this was the last race of the season but also because of the crowd. "That was amazing this evening and gave me energy. "My reaction time in the starting blocks was for sure the worst of this year but I felt very relaxed and enjoyed the race." Rodgers, who served a nine-month doping ban until March 2012 but could only finish sixth in Moscow, added: "It's my season's best and only five-hundredths off my personal best even though I completely missed my start. "I've had injuries and then totally missed my world championships but I feel in good shape for the moment, a little late this season but it gives me a lot of hope for next year." Out of the blocks in lane five just slower than Gatlin outside him, Bolt kept his head and shoulders low as he drove into the opening metres. His trademark transition phase then showed at the 50 metre mark, Bolt pushing his huge frame into top gear, head coming up and going for broke. He quickly moved past Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic champion and 2005 double world sprint champion who bounced back from a four-year doping ban to claim Olympic bronze in London and then silver in Moscow, on his right. Bolt cast a brief glance cast across the field as Rodgers produced a great final 30 metres to get second from lane eight but he still finished .10sec ahead of his rivals. Once again, Bolt's drawcard status was on show at the Roi Baudouin Stadium in the Belgian capital, the vociferous crowd on their feet as the sprinters were introduced. As the starter called them to the blocks, Bolt put a finger to his lips to hush the crowd, briefly crossing himself and looking skywards as the television zoomed in and his picture was broadcast on the big stadium screen. The rest was academic for the man who has now accumulated six Olympic golds and eight world gold medals, dominating the world of sprinting since taking the Beijing Olympics by storm in 2008. Source: AFP