A baffled Usain Bolt ran his worst turn ever as he barely won the 200 metres at the Adidas Grand Prix meet in a sluggish 20.29 seconds on a warm, windy day at Randall's Island on Saturday.
Bolt was running into a stiff headwind of 2.8 metres per second that surely affected his time, but the six-time Olympic gold medal winner was bewildered by his sub-standard turn.
His time was more than a full second slower than his world record of 19.19.
The 28-year-old Jamaican, who also holds the world record in the 100 metres, failed to show his legendary runaway burst of speed and only justs held off second-placed Zharnel Hughes of Anguilla, who timed 20.32.
Bolt said the turn affected the rest of his race, run in front of a packed grandstand filled with fans from his homeland.
He had hoped to break 20 seconds in the race as he aimed to build towards this year's Beijing world championships in August after a 2014 season limited by injuries. Bolt ran 20.20 in Kingston and 20.13 in Ostrava earlier this year.
Results: Men: 100M: Tyson Gay (US) 10.12 seconds, 1; Keston Bledman (Trinidad and Tobago) 10.13, 2; Nesta Carter (Jamaica) 10.15, 3. 200M: Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 20.29, 1; Zharnel Hughes (Anguilla) 20.32, 2; Julian Forte (Jamaica) 20.46, 3.
400M: Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa) 44.24, 1; Chris Brown (Bahamas) 44.74, 2; Tony McQuay (US) 45.26, 3.
800M: David Lekuta Rudisha (Kenya) 1:43.58, 1; Boris Berian (US) 1:43.84, 2; Pierre-Ambroise Bosse (France) 1:43.88, 3. 5000M: Ben True (US) 13:29.48, 1; Nicholas Willis (New Zealand) 13:29.78, 2; Nguse Amlosom (Eritrea) 13:30.22, 3. 110M hurdles: David Oliver (US) 13.19, 1; Jason Richardson (US) 13.26, 2; Garfield Darien (France) 13.32, 3.
400M hurdles: Javier Culson (Puerto Rico) 48.48, 1; LJ Van Zyl (South Africa) 48.78, 2; Jeffery Gibson (Bahamas) 48.97, 3.
Triple jump: Pedro Pablo Pichardo (Cuba) 17.56 metres, 1; Will Claye (US) 16.96, 2; Omar Craddock (US) 16.55, 3.
Shot put: Joe Kovacs (US) 21.67, 1; Jordan Clarke (US) 21.34, 2; Tomas Walsh (New Zealand) 21.16, 3. Javelin throw: Vitezslav Vesely (Czech Republic) 83.62, 1; Ari Mannio (Finland) 83.37, 2; Hamish Peacock (Australia) 82.91, 3.
Women: 100M: English Gardner (US) 11.00 seconds, 1; Samantha Henry-Robinson (Jamaica) 11.08, 2; Kelly-Ann Baptiste (Trinidad and Tobago) 11.19, 3. 200M: Tori Bowie (US) 22.23, 1; Blessing Okagbare (Nigeria) 22.67, 2; Sherone Simpson (Jamaica) 22.69, 3. 400M: Francena McCorory (US) 49.86, 1; Shaunae Miller (Bahamas) 50.66, 2; Stephanie McPherson (Jamaica) 50.84, 3. 800M: Ajee Wilson (US) 1:58.83, 1; Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei (Kenya) 1:59.37, 2; Chanelle Price (US) 1:59.47, 3. 1000M: Erin Donohue (US) 2:37.42, 1; Treniere Moser (US) 2:37.53, 2; Dana Mecke (US) 2:37.89, 3. 3000M steeplechase: Hiwot Ayalew (Ethiopia) 9:25.26, 1; Ashley Higginson (US) 9:31.32, 2; Sviatlana Kudzelich (Belarus) 9:31.70, 3. 100M hurdles: Sharika Nelvis (US) 12.65, 1; Tiffany Porter (Britain) 12.81, 2; Danielle Williams (Jamaica) 12.89, 3. High jump: Ruth Beitia (Spain) 1.97 metres, 1; Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) 1.97, 2; Levern Spencer (St Lucia) 1.91, 3. Pole vault: Fabiana Murer (Brazil) 4.80, 1; Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou (Greece) 4.80, 2; Jennifer Suhr (US) 4.54, 3.
Long jump: Christabel Nettey (Canada) 6.92, 1; Tianna Bartoletta (US) 6.89, 2; Shara Proctor (Britain) 6.72, 3.
Discus throw: Sandra Perkovic (Croatia) 68.44, 1; Yaime Perez (Cuba) 65.86, 2; Melina Robert-Michon (France) 62.77, 3.
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