Bolt launches 200m bid

For Usain Bolt, there are bigger things to come. For some of the runners lucky – or unlucky – enough to race against him in 200m qualifying on Tuesday, this was the highlight of the Olympics.

Bolt opened defense of his 200m title with a stress-free first-round heat of 20.39 seconds, a race in which he powered to the lead early, then eased up to a jog over the final 80m.

“I was taking it as easy as possible. It’s my first (200) run. I’m looking forward to tomorrow (Wednesday),” said Bolt, who runs in the semifinals on Wednesday as he tries to become the only man with two Olympic titles in the 200m.

The final is Thursday.
The first round was a predictably nonchalant moment for The World’s Fastest Man, though it held more significance for Isiah Young ofthe United States, the runner who lined up next to him in the day’s firstheat.

“It was different. He’s more experienced,” said Young, the 22-year-old, who finished third to advance to the semifinals. “He knows how to get through this round. I don’t think he was all-out atall. I think he was in cruise control.” Of course he was .

Bolt returned to the track a bit morethan 12 hours after jumping onto themedal stand to receive the 100m gold in a ceremony on Monday night. He had tweeted a picture of himself with three Swedish handball players from the wee morning hoursafter his win and explained it on Tuesday by saying, “They wanted pictures. We chilled.”