Gatlin storms to 200m Monaco triumph

American sprinter wins race in 19.68 seconds.

MONTE CARLO:

Justin Gatlin stormed to the fastest 200m of the year at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Friday as the American recorded the eighth fastest time ever in the distance.

The 32-year-old won in a time of 19.68 seconds, just two weeks after he clocked a season-leading 9.80s in the 100m at Lausanne. Only six men have run faster in the blue riband event. Gatlin was the 2004 Olympic gold medallist in the 100m and 200m world champion in 2005 before he served a four-year doping ban.

But in the injury-enforced absence of world record holder Usain Bolt this season, the American veteran has seized his opportunity to dominate global sprinting in 2014.

“I started like it was a 100m race and I continued to push off the bend. I am surprised because it was my first time under 20 seconds,” said Gatlin.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2014.

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