Sluggish Bolt wins; Isinbayeva sets new world record

USAIN Bolt survived his World Championship hangover to clinch 100m victory at the Zurich Golden League meet - but was upstaged by Yelena Isinbayeva who set a new pole vault world record.

 STREAK CONTINUES: Usain Bolt overcomes slow start to extend unbeaten 100m record to 11

The Jamaican sprint king, who set new 100m and 200m world records at the recent World Championships, recovered from a sluggish start to take 100m victory in 9.81 seconds.

Bolt, who became the only man in history to hold world and Olympic titles over both distances in Berlin, was last out of the blocks and a metre down at the halfway stage.

But, he dug deep, for once, to take victory ahead of compatriot Asafa Powell, who was 0.07 seconds behind.

And Bolt was the first to admit his exploits in the Olympiastadion have taken their toll.

"It was alright but I was a little bit tired through the race - it was a shaky race," said Bolt, who clocked 9.58 secs on the way to gold in Berlin.

"All things considered the time is not bad but I really needed to pick up my speed at the end and my body did not respond well to the race."

While Bolt, by his standards, was laborious, Isinbayeva, who failed to clear a height in Berlin as she missed out on a third consecutive world title, was back to her very best in Zurich.

The Russian pole vaulter surpassed her own world record by a centimetre to clear 5.06m and revealed her World Championship defeat served as a wake-up call.

"Now it's clear why there was that defeat in Berlin," she said. "This is an amazing result, it's unbelievable, crazy - it's like a dream."

Newly-crowned world 400m champion Sanya Richards, along with Isinabyeva, remains in the hunt for a share of the $1million Golden League prize pot, after storming to victory in Zurich.

The American clocked 48.94 secs en route to victory with Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu coming home fourth in 50.41 and fellow Brit Nicola Sanders sixth in 51.02.

World silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey finished third in the 1500m behind world champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain and American Anna Willard.

In the 110m hurdles Great Britain's William Sharman, fourth in Berlin, was sixth in 13.37 while Tom Lancashire was fifth in the 1500m.

Tyrone Edgar finished last in the 100m in 10.28 while British record holder Kate Dennison was sixth in the pole vault with a best clearance of 4.41m.