Usain Bolt 9.82 Lausanne 100 meter Video

Last Updated on November 17, 2012 by Jimson Lee

In his first race in 42 days since being ordered to rest by his doctor, the triple Olympic champion returned with bang at Thursday night’s Samsung Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, triumphing in 9.82sec to equal Asafa Powell’s fastest time in the world this year in Rome.

Moments later, he was hamming it up in his familiar ‘lightening bolt’ pose next to a contingent of Jamaican fans. It was as if he had never been away.

Ominously for his rivals, he also looked to have plenty in reserve, despite the stiffness in his left Achilles that forced him to switch from the 200m to the 100m on the eve of the meeting.

Nervous perhaps of aggravating the problem, he was slow out of his blocks and only found top gear in the second half of the race before powering away in his trademark style.

It was a resounding response to those who had wondered whether he might even be the underdog when he takes on Powell for the first time this season over 100m in Paris next Friday.

It promises to be quite a confrontation between the two Jamaicans, assuming Bolt suffers no physical aftershock from his efforts on Thursday, as Powell attempts to inflict the first defeat on the double world record-holder since he beat him in Stockholm two years ago.