DAEGU, South Korea // Usain Bolt kicked off his world championships like only the golden Jamaican can - with a blazing start that blew away all opposition, leaving him the firm favourite for the 100m final today.
Bolt coasted for the second half of the race for the day's best time of 10.10 seconds, a throwaway mark by his standards. But because of the way he shot out of the blocks, the result on the scoreboard looked more like two perfect 10s for style.
"The key thing was my start," Bolt said. "I've been lacking that but got it perfectly straight. That's why it looked so easy."
Bolt is expected to claim three golds by next weekend. He proved that his form is matching his unsurpassed braggadocio. Two hours before his heat, Bolt was already dancing and prancing in the warm-up area.
At the track, he showed off his Jamaican shirt designed by the daughter of reggae great Bob Marley. He slicked his hair and goatee toward a crowd that was halved after 53,000 fans celebrated the opening ceremony.
Those who stayed saw an impressive Bolt for 50 meters, showing off the power that earned him three gold medals at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 world championships in Berlin.
Now he is heading for the tough part - the semi-finals and final likely today at 8.45pm (3.45pm in the UAE). He still has the 200 and 4x100 relays coming up next week.
His path to the 100 final has been eased because challengers Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay are injured and not competing. "My focus is to go out there and win, execute and show the world I'm still the best," Bolt said. "That's what I'm going to do."
* Associated Press
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
More from Aya Iskandarani
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
BRIEF SCORES
England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)
Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1
Haemoglobin disorders explained
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
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Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
