Usain Bolt - file

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

USAIN BOLT believes another 9.7-second run for the 100 metres was possible on Saturday's opening day of the Hampton International Games at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

The Jamaican sprinter followed up on his amazing 9.76-second dash at the Jamaica International Invitational earlier this month with victory in a stadium record 9.92 seconds on Saturday evening.

Had he not shut down some 25 metres from the line, Bolt would have produced an even faster clocking.

"I wasn't really happy," Bolt said, "because I had a real bad start and the blocks did not feel comfortable at all, so when I got in front I just shut it off because I wasn't feeling very happy with myself."

All-time second spot

Bolt's 9.76 run in Jamaica earned him second spot on the all-time men's 100m performance list behind his Jamaican colleague Asafa Powell, the world record holder at 9.74 seconds.

"Maybe if I had a good start, maybe 9.7 again, because I felt great and it was easy running 9.9 … I think I did well and I'm really proud of myself. I just wanted to go under 10 seconds.

"My coach (Glen Mills)," the 21-year-old athlete continued, "said, 'Just come here, I want to see how you compete, and if you go under 10 seconds, that would be good'."

Saturday's 9.92 run in the special men's international 100m is the fastest-ever legal time on Trinidad and Tobago soil, bettering the 9.96 produced by T&T's Marc Burns, on the same track, at the 2005 National Open Championships.

Square off with Gay

Bolt will be back in action on May 31, at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, US, where he is expected to square off against 2007 world double sprint champion Tyson Gay, of the US, in the men's 100m.

At the World Championships, in Osaka, Japan, last year, Bolt finished second to Gay in the 200m final.

Bolt said he does not yet know if he will compete in both sprints at the Beijing Olympics in August.

"We haven't actually decided what we're going to do. We had a plan for the season and we're still working on that plan, up towards the (Jamaica) trials. Coach says to give him a few weeks or so and he'll let me know, so I'm just working off his schedule.

"I haven't started 200 training yet," Bolt continued, "so I'm really looking forward to that. I'll be doing that, starting Monday."