Bolt still keeping pace with 200m win; ATHLETICS From David Martin in Brussels.

Byline: David Martin 

USAIN Bolt continued his memorable form on European soil this summer in producing another awesome performance to win over 200 metres at the IAAF Golden League meeting in Brussels.

Despite the cold and damp conditions, Bolt produced the world's fourth fastest time of 19.57 seconds to decimate the meeting record of 19.79 seconds, set by Tyson Gay three years ago.

Only Michael Johnson, whose world record of 19.32 secs Bolt broke by two-hundredths of a second at last year's Beijing Olympic and then lowered to 19.19 secs in the recent World Championships, has run faster. Bolt, who opted to contest the 200m feeling he was getting race rusty over the distance, ridiculed that suggestion and was never threatened as he ran a perfect bend and powered down the home straight.

The last time he suffered a 200m defeat was when he was beaten by the American pair of Wallace Spearmon and Xavier Carter at the Belgian venue two years ago. Spearmon was a distant second in 20.19 secs.

Bolt said: "I am very tired, my body was telling me to slow down, but the crowd gave me that extra push."

With Bolt an absentee, Asafa Powell scored a thrilling 100m and fast victory ahead of Gay - the American who finished ahead of him at the World Championships with an impressive time of 9.90 secs.

Gay, still nursing a groin injury was never in contention finishing in ten secs, ahead of fellow countryman Darvis Patton (10.08).

Sanya Richards won the 400m with another awesome display, highlighted by a tremendous sprint in the final 100m. The 24-year-old American posted a world leading mark for the third time in successive races and her time of 48.83 secs was also a meeting record.

Christine Ohuruogu showed she is coming into much better form after a hamstring injury interrupted her World Championship preparations, where she failed to defend her title when finishing fifth.

The Olympic champion kept her form in a tight finish to hold off Shericka Williams, the Jamaican silver medallist in Berlin, by 0.12 secs.