... SFP takes 200m while James loses to Merritt again

ZURICH, Switzerland, (CMC):

Usain Bolt recovered from a poor start before sprinting to victory in the 100m at the Zurich Diamond League at the Letzigrund Stadium yesterday in what he called his worst race this year.

"That was the worst race of the season," said Bolt, who timed 9.95 when losing to Gatlin in Rome in June. "The longer the season goes, the worse my style gets. This race, it was really hard. I was a little sore. It's time to get home now."

The six-time Olympic champion began extremely slowly up also against Britain's Adam Gemili and Gatlin, but stormed back late to take the win with a time of 9.90 seconds.

Gemili finished in eighth, but the Briton recorded his season's best time with a 10.06secs.

Bolt finished ahead of teammate Nickel Ashmeade (9.94) in second, and American Gatlin was third in 9.96 seconds.

"I wasn't as fit. The more the season goes, the more tired I get. I'm just trying to get through the season injury free," Bolt told reporters.

"I have to go and prepare, see what I can to do improve my start."

The other Jamaicans, Nesta Carter and Kemar Bailey-Cole, were sixth and seventh, respectively.

Gatlin, although finishing in third place, is the winner of this season's Diamond League 100m title.

Bolt and Gatlin went gold silver at the World Championships in Moscow earlier this month, where Bolt won in 9.77 to Gatlin's 9.85.

Bolt is expected to race in the Diamond League finale in Brussels, Belgium, on September 6.

World leader Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was first in the women's 200 metre, sprinting a comfortable 22.40 seconds.

The win makes Fraser-Pryce the female 200m Diamond League champion for 2013.

Mourielle Ahoure from the Côte d'Ivoire, in a repeat of the Moscow World Championships, was second in 22.66, while the Ukraine's Mariya Ryemyen was third in 22.67.

American Tiffany Townsend was disqualified after a false start.

Grenada's Olympic 400 metres champion Kirani James finished a close second to World champion LaShawn Merritt.

Merritt ran into James very early and stayed close to the Grenadian to push ahead close to the finish to win in 44.13 seconds.

James was second in 44.32 and Pavel Maslk of the Czech Republic third in 44.91.

Merritt's win confirms him as the Diamond League 400m title winner this season.

Kaliese Spencer, 54.22, was second in the women's 400m hurdles behind the unbeaten World champion Zuzana Hejnova, 53.32, with Denisa Rosolova, 54.99, running third.

Jamaica had to settle for second place behind the USA, 41.67, in the 4x100m relay with a time of 41.78, with the Ukrainians finishing third in 42.71.