Jamaican Bolt breaks men's 100m world record

Usain Bolt of Jamaica competes during the men's 200 metres heats at the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championship in this file photo taken in Osaka, Japan on August 28, 2007. (Photo credit: Xinhua)Photo Gallery>>WASHINGTON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Usain Bolt of Jamaica set a world record in the men's 100m, clocking 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix meeting at Icahn Stadium in New York on Saturday.

Bolt bettered the mark of 9.74 set by countryman Asafa Powell last September.

The 21-year-old, the 200m silver medalist at the world championships, dashed out perfectly at the start after a false start and touched the finishing tape ahead of 100m world champion Tyson Gay.

Gay finished second in 9.85, with his fellow American Darvis Patton a distant third in 10.07.

"It was a great start," Bolt said, "I've been working hard at that. I gave you what you wanted."

Earlier this month, Bolt stunned the athletics world by running a 9.76 in Jamaica, the second fastest time ever registered and only his third competitive race over the distance.

Evolution of men's 100m world records

10.6 seconds, Donald Lippincott, United States, July 6, 1912

10.4, Charles Paddock, United States, April 23, 1921

10.3, Percy Williams, Canada, August 9, 1930

10.2, Jesse Owens, United States, June 20, 1936

10.1, Willie Williams, United States, August 3, 1956

10.0, Armin Hary, West Germany, June 21, 1960

9.99, Jim Hines, United States, June 20, 1968

9.95 (electronic), Jim Hines, October 14, 1968

9.93, Calvin Smith, United States, July 3, 1983

9.92, Carl Lewis, United States, September 24, 1988

9.90, Leroy Burrell, United States, June 14, 1991

9.86, Carl Lewis, United States, August 25, 1991

9.85, Leroy Burrell, United States, July 6, 1994

9.84, Donovan Bailey, Canada, July 27, 1996

9.79, Maurice Greene, United States, June 16, 1999

9.77, Asafa Powell, Jamaica, June 14, 2005

9.77, Justin Gatlin, United States, May 12, 2006

9.77, Asafa Powell, Jamaica, June 11, 2006

9.74, Asafa Powell, Jamaica, September 9, 2007

9.72, Usain Bolt, Jamaica, May 31, 2008