Carmelita Jeter stole the limelight from Usain Bolt by becoming the third-fastest woman in 100m history at the World Athletics Final in Greece. Winning in a time of 10.67 seconds, the 29-year-old American sprinter ran the fastest time in 11 years on Sunday. "When I got into the race and the gun went off I didn't think, I just ran to the line," said Jeter. "Everything felt slow, and when my coach says that it feels slow, it's actually fast."
Trailing Shelly-Ann Fraser at the start, Jeter soon sped past the world champion to stun the crowd and her coach, John Smith, who was "in shock" at Jeter's phenomenal performance. Jeter now holds the fifth-fastest women's 100m time, behind the world-record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner and Marion Jones. Griffith-Joyner's world record of 10.49 has stood unbeaten for 21 years. Smith, Jeter's coach since last November, believes the American is capable of running a faster 100m and making a similar impact in the 200m.
"She has the potential, like Bolt did for the men, to take the 100 to another level to regular performances in the 10.60s, possibly the 10.50s," Smith said. "But I would really like to see her run the 200." Bolt, meanwhile, is looking forward to a well-earned rest after another easy win on Sunday capped an epic season for the sprinter. The Jamaican claimed another 200m title, winning in 19.68 seconds, ahead of America's Wallace Spearmon in 20.21 seconds.
"I was running on fumes. That was the last race this season. It was the last energy I had," said Bolt, after a season that saw the 23-year-old smash his own 100m and 200m records at the world championships last month. "I'm just happy the season is over. I was really tired. Hopefully I'll get lots of rest," he said.
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