Breath-taking Bolt shatters 200m world record

From Tom Oldfield, Sportsbeat, In Berlin

 USAIN Bolt touched down to earth for precisely 19.19 seconds to scorch his way to 200m victory at the World Athletics Championships before blasting back into the stratosphere of world sprinting.

 SUPER-HUMAN: Usain Bolt makes history by blitzing to 200m gold in Berlin with yet another world record

Bolt, supposedly tired, supposedly far from his 200m best, shattered his own world record for the second time in a week as he roared to what must be the biggest winning margin in World Championship history.

The Jamaican, without question the fastest man on earth, led the quickest 100m in history on Sunday night, and he repeated the trick over 200m as five athletes broke the 20-second barrier.

Panama's 19-year-old Alonso Edward claimed silver in 19.81, while Wallace Spearmon took bronze in 19.85 - but they will be mere footnotes in history.

On Sunday Bolt cut 0.11 secs off his world record and he did exactly the same over 200m - a fitting symmetry as he confirmed his sprinting immortality.

And just as he had done so on Sunday, the triple Olympic champion revelled in every minute of it.

"I definitely did not expect that," said Bolt. "I was really tired but I thought to myself I would come and give it a go and I tried really hard for it.

"Maybe next time I'll do just the 100m or the 200m because I was so tired. I was flagging there at the end, and I thought I could win but wasn't sure about the record so I'm realy happy.

"I was so tired towards the end and I was rocking and not running up right. It was not  a good race but it was a fast one."

BY A DISTANCE: Usain Bolt cross the line with a huge winning margin over silver medallist Alsonso Edward (Seiko)

The race appears to be a insignificant part of the occasion for Bolt. The showboating with the camera and the crowd both before and after the race seem to enthuse him more.

There's no questioning Bolt was born to entertain, but he was also born to run.

A false start from France's David Alerte may have concerned others, but Bolt is no mere mortal. He got off to the perfect start and within metres the race was his.

Before he reached the bend Bolt was racing against the clock. He gritted his teeth in the closing metres and continued sprinting over the line before turning his head to the scoreboard and immediately cracking a smile.

Technically brilliant he might not be but Bolt is not like other men and he produced the closest the world has ever seen to the perfect race in history.

Bolt has been on a different planet ever since he announced himself in the Birds' Nest last year and as he prepares to celebrate his 23rd birthday tomorrow, he is showing no signs of returning to earth just yet.