NEW YORK, June 1: Jamaican sprinters electrified the Reebok Grand Prix here on Saturday with Usain Bolt setting a new 100 metres world record and Veronica Campbell-Brown posting the fastest time of the year in the women’s event.

However, there was disappointment for China’s world record holder and Olympic champion Liu Xiang, who had to withdraw from the 110m hurdles due to a tight hamstring.

The 21-year-old Bolt announced he is a genuine force in track and field’s blue ribband event by streaking home in a time of 9.72 seconds, breaking the previous record of 9.74 posted by compatriot Asafa Powell last September.

Bolt, world championship silver medalist in the 200, exploded off the starting line to get an early jump on world champion Tyson Gay and left the American second in 9.85.

Bolt’s brilliant performance crowned a great night for Jamaica as world champion Campbell-Brown ran the fastest women’s 100 of the year, winning her event in 10.91 seconds, two-hundredths of a second faster than American Allyson Felix’s 2008 best.

American Jenn Stuczynski had three tries at setting a women’s pole vault record but could not get over the bar set at 5.02 metres, winning the event at 4.80.

But the night belonged to Bolt, who waited out an hour’s delay to the start of the meet due to the threat of a thunderstorm, and a 45-minute suspension during the meet forced by thunder and lightning in the area.

Once the air cleared, Bolt struck. At 1.96m tall Bolt has struggled with his start, but he timed this one beautifully after another runner’s false start, breaking out ahead of Gay and was never threatened.

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

Other top performances included world championship bronze medalist Wallace Spearmon winning the men’s 200 in 20.07 seconds, and Paul Koech of Kenya recording the fastest 3,000 steeplechase on US soil with a time of 8:01.85

Leading results:

Men’s:

100 metres: 1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 9.72 seconds (world record); 2. Tyson Gay (US) 9.85; 3. Darvis Patton (US) 10.07.

200 metres: 1. Wallace Spearmon (US) 20.07 seconds; 2. Rodney Martin (US) 20.30; 3. Brendan Christian (Antigua and Barbuda) 20.39.

400 metres: 1. Xavier Carter (US) 44.70 seconds; 2. Renny Quow (Trinidad and Tobago) 45.04; 3. David Neville (US) 45.33.

800 metres: 1. Youssef Saad Kamel (Bahrain) one minute 45.53 seconds; 2. Khadevis Robinson (US) 1:45.55; 3. Gary Reed (Canada) 1:45.81.

1,500 metres: 1. Lopez Lomong (US) three minutes 37.81 seconds; 2. Kevin Sullivan (Canada) 3:38.22; 3. Nathan Brannen (Canada) 3:39.21.

5,000 metres: 1. Shadrack Kosgei (Kenya) 13 minutes 14.46 seconds; 2. Mohamed Ali (Ethiopia) 13:14.50; 3. Sam Chelanga (Kenya) 13:24.73.

110-metre hurdles: 1. Terrence Trammell (US) 13.11 seconds; 2. Aries Merritt (US) 13.24; 3. Antwon Hicks (US) 13.37.

400-metre hurdles: 1. Kerron Clement (US) 48.40 seconds; 2. Danny McFarlane (Jamaica) 48.95; 3. Michael Tinsley (US) 49.25.

3,000-metre steeplechase: 1. Paul Kipsiele Koech (Kenya) eight minutes 01.85 seconds; 2. Steve Slattery (US) 8:28.21; 3. Solomon Kandie (Kenya) 8:29.40.

Shot put: 1. Reese Hoffa (US) 21.29 metres; 2. Adam Nelson (US) 20.91; 3. Christian Cantwell (US) 20.83.

Discus throw: 1. Ian Waltz (US) 66.17 metres; 2. Jarred Rome (US) 65.65; 3. Mike Robertson (US) 65.19.

Women’s:

100 metres: 1. Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 10.91 seconds; 2. Marshevet Hooker (US) 10.94; 3. Muna Lee (US) 10.97.

200 metres: 1. Bianca Knight (US) 22.43 seconds; 2. Carmelita Jeter (US) 22.65; 3. Shalonda Solomon (US) 22.68.

400 metres: 1. Sanya Richards (US) 50.04 seconds; 2. Novlene Williams (Jamaica) 50.70; 3. Mary Wineberg (US) 50.93.

800 metres: 1. Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Bahrain) two minutes 00.42 seconds; 2. Neisha Bernard-Thomas (Grenada) 2:00.92; 3. Erin Donohue (US) 2:02.04.

1,500 metres: 1. Sarah Jamieson (Australia) four minutes 06.93 seconds; 2. Lisa Corrigan (Australia) 4:07.57; 3. Amy Mortimer (US) 4:07.62.

5,000 metres: 1. Lauren Fleshman (US) 14 minutes 58.48 seconds; 2. Kimberley Smith (New Zealand) 15:03.83; 3. Sentayehu Ejigu (Ethiopia) 15:06.37.400-metre hurdles: 1. Lashinda Demus (US) 55.17 seconds; 2. Shevon Stoddart (Jamaica) 55.54; 3. Tiffany Ross-Williams (US) 55.78.

Pole vault: 1. Jennifer Stuczynski (US) 4.80 metres; 2. Lacy Janson (US) 4.55; 3. Jillian Schwartz (US) 4.55.

Discus throw: 1. Becky Breisch (US) 63.70 metres; 2. Aretha Thurmond (US) 63.06; 3. Stephanie Trafton (US) 62.34.

Hammer throw: 1. Britney Henry (US) 66.73 metres; 2. Bethany Hart (US) 66.65; 3. Crystal Smith (Canada) 65.13.—Reuters