Usain Bolt triumphed in the 100m, finishing in 9.95 seconds at the final meet of his career. The Jamaican was given a well-deserved ovation by the Monegasque crowd, who had eagerly awaited his appearance. The meet was highlighted by numerous outstanding performances, a tradition at Louis II.
What is more beautiful than crossing the finish line first? Admittedly, it’s not London, but the last meet of the Jamaican legend’s career concluded with a victory. This victory was celebrated by the crowd at Stade Louis II and a very attentive spectator, Prince Albert II, who presented him with the winner’s medal and a gold Hercules, Monaco’s highest honor. Usain Bolt took first place with a time of 9.95 seconds, his best performance of the season, narrowly and surely surpassing American Isiah Young. He went under 10 seconds for the 50th time in his career. Impressive!
One Last Dance
Several long minutes after his victory, “King Bolt” did a complete lap of the stadium, signing shirts, placards, and other programs, then put on a show, as he usually does. Surrounded by the evening’s cheerleaders, he improvised a dance routine in front of the royal box, delighting the Monegasque audience. He also enjoyed a video clip created by the Herculis meet, retracing his entire career.
Performance Galore
Among the men, two races stood out on this beautiful sunny evening. First, the 800m, won masterfully by Emmanuel Korir (Kenya) in 1:43.10, the world’s best performance of the year. Pierre-Ambroise Bosse finished fourth, securing his qualification for the world championships (4th in 1:44.72). Evan Jager (United States) dominated the 3000m steeplechase, the final event of the program. The small blond, who had fallen in the first lap, broke away 600m from the finish to post a time of 8:01.29, a performance of very high caliber. Among the women, Caster Semenya (South Africa) left no room for doubt. She won in 1:55.27, a Diamond League record, the world’s best performance of the year, and a personal best.
Van Niekerk Not So Easy, Lasitskene Consistent
The other star of the meet, Wayde Van Niekerk, was particularly anticipated. He did not disappoint, winning in 43.73 seconds, although he did not leave a substantial impression. Ironically, he received his medal from Princess Charlène, who is also South African. The Russian Marya Lasitskene, competing under a neutral flag, soared to 2.05 meters. She attempted 2.08 meters, which she could not clear despite an interesting final attempt. In pole vault, Piotr Lisek won with a jump of 5.82 meters. Renaud Lavillenie settled for 5.72 meters, as did Kevin Menaldo and Axel Chapelle.
