DAEGU, South Korea, Sept. 3 -- Usain Bolt of Jamaica, the world's fastest man, retained his world title in the men's 200m with 19.40 seconds on Saturday night at the Daegu world championships.
"I feel great. I wasn't running angry, I was running hard just to say to fans sorry about the 100 meters. I came out here to do my best and prove to them," Bolt told reporters after the race.
The 25-year-old Jamaican, obviously afraid of a false start again like in the 100m final on Sunday, was the last one to set off after the starting gun fire. His reaction time of 0.193 seconds is the longest among the eight sprinters in the 200m final.
The fastest reaction came from Rondel Sorrillo of Trinidad and Tobago, who took off in 0.122 seconds. He finished seventh.
Though slowly to start, Bolt said he did not panic. His winning mark is the world leading time of 2011 in the men's 200m. The previous one also came from him, at 19.86.
And in the human history of the men's 200m, only Bolt and former the world's fastest man Michael Johnson of the United States have ever run faster than 19.40.
Bolt has achieved sub-19.40 marks twice -- one in Berlin in 2009 when he created the world record of 19.19 and this time in Daegu. Johnson ran 19.32 in August of 1996.
"19.40 for me -- it is a good time. I am not in my best shape, but it is all about fun and enjoyment. I am happy with my time," he said.
Walter Dix of the United States, who had taken silver in the men's 100m final on Sunday night, finished second in 19.70. The time is his personal best of 2011.
Christophe Lemaitre of France finished third in 19.80, a new national record for France.
Wearing a bib number reading "588", Bolt looked quite relaxed standing behind Lane 3 of the blue track at the Daegu stadium.
With camera on him, a smiling Bolt, as usual, began to entertain more than 30,000 spectators at the Daegu stadium -- using hands to sort out the eyebrows and making the bow. The crowd responded with cheers and screams.
After the starting gun fire, he set off, sprinted ahead at a blistering pace, took the lead and crossed the finish line first.
A jubilant Bolt, wearing the Jamaican national flag, slowly ran another lap in the stadium and celebrated his win with his fans.
"It is good to run a good 200m. It is my favorite event. Fans will decide if I made it up to them," he said.
By all measurements, Bolt is unbeatable in the 200m. The half lap is where he first made his name as a teenager. It's the event in which he won his first World Championships medal in 2007. He hasn't lost a 200m final since the Memorial van Damme in Brussels in September 2007 and rides a 16-meet win streak in the event to Daegu.
"After the race Usain Bolt told me that I was too strong and he congratulated me.... Today I proved that now I belong to the very best in the world and I hope that I will stay there," Lemaitre said.
Last year, at the age of 20, Lemaitre won the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay titles at the 2010 European Championships, making him the fastest man in Europe.