Sprint sweep for brilliant Bolt in Beijing

Usain Bolt of Jamaica (L) gestures as he crosses the finish line to win the men's 200 metres final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium in Beijing, China, August 27, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - Jamaica's Usain Bolt ran the fastest time of the year in 19.55 seconds to win a record fourth straight world 200 metres title and sweep the individual sprints at a major global championships for a fifth time on Thursday.

Five days after beating Justin Gatlin to win the 100 metres, the 29-year-old Olympic champion and world record holder again proved too strong for in-form American, who finished second in 19.74.

Anasco Jobodwana took bronze in 19.87 for South Africa ahead of Panama's Alonso Edward, who was awarded the same time but lost out on a medal by two 1,000ths of a second. Jobodwana's time was 19.861 and Edward 19.863.

The victory gave Bolt a record-extending 10th world championship gold medal and he could yet win an 11th as part of Jamaica's 4x100 metre relay team on Saturday.

Bolt, who had only run one race at the distance coming into the championships after an injurydisrupted season, once again produced the goods when it really mattered.

The 29-year-old got out of the blocks quicker than Gatlin on his inside and was already in front at the bend, where the American picked up speed and looked like he might threaten the champion.

Puffing his cheeks out and swinging his arms high, though, Bolt pounded down the home straight to victory, thumping his chest with his fist as he crossed the line.