Usain Bolt (C) of Jamaica celebrates setting a new world record in the men's 100 metres race next to Tyson Gay (L) of the U.S. and Darvis Patton of the U.S. at the Reebok Grand Prix athletics meet in New York, May 31, 2008. [Agencies]

NEW YORK - Jamaica's Usain Bolt set a world record in the 100 metres on Saturday by clocking 9.72 seconds at the Reebok grand prix meeting at Icahn Stadium.

Bolt bettered the mark of 9.74 set by countryman Asafa Powell last September.

The 21-year-old, world championships silver medallist in the 200 metres, broke perfectly at the start and streaked through the finishing tape ahead of world 100 metres champion Tyson Gay.

Gay finished second in 9.85, with his fellow American Darvis Patton a distant third in 10.07.

The tall, powerful Bolt, who at 1.96 metres has had to work hard to improve out of the blocks, timed it perfectly after a false start had put all eight runners on notice.

"It was a great start," Bolt told the crowd, which was full of jubilant Jamaican fans. "I've been working hard at that.

"I gave you what you wanted."

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