Jamaica's Usain Bolt has broken Asafa Powell's world 100m record.  At the Reebok Grand Prix on Saturday night, in front of a huge Jamaican crowd, he ran a blistering 9.72 seconds to beat Tyson Gay, 9.85, into second place.  Darvis Patton of the USA was third in 10.07.

On a night when thunderstorms and the threat of lightning forced a 45 minute delay to the action, "Lightening" Bolt delivered the real jolt of the night.

The 6' 5" tall Jamaican is now the man to beat as the athletics season steamrolls toward the Beijing Olympics in August.

"This world record doesn't mean a thing unless I get the Olympic gold medal, or win at the world championships," he said.

Bolt's 9.76 run at the Jamaica International Invitational in May was on everyone's lips and had people anxious for a clash with himself and Gay.  With that race out of the way, he and the whole world, now focuses on the Jamaican trial in June for the clash with countryman Asafa Powell.

While Bolt is now the highlight in the 100 meters , he said the 200m remains his passion.

"I always say the 200 is my favourite race. That's not going to change," said Bolt, who is considered by many a likely threat to Michael Johnson's 200m world record of 19.32 set in Atlanta in 1996.

Gay, who was 0.01 off his personal best, congratulated Bolt.

"Obviously, I have some work to do," Gay said. "Right now, it's hats off to Bolt. Today was his day."

"I'm not surprised that he ran that well. After all, he had that 9.76," Gay added. "But this was just one race, it was only my second 100 of the year. I'm not going to change the programme. I'm right on schedule."

Gay said he knew it was over after he saw Bolt push out.

"I honestly think we were on the same rhythm, except his stride pattern is a lot bigger," Gay said. "He was covering a lot more ground than I was."

Olympic 200m champion, Shawn Crawford,  finished down the track in sixth.

"He was awesome," Crawford said of Bolt. "We all want to be number one, but this was his night.

"Give him credit. But it doesn't mean everything. There's no reason it can't be different next time."

Veronica Campbell- Brown, in the meantime, won the women's equivalent in a meet record of 10.91 seconds.  That time also sees her leap-frogging American Allyson Felix into top spot on the list of the year's fastest times.

"I'm running good,'' Campbell-Brown said. "My object is to run faster than I did last year. I accomplished that and I'm happy.''

The reigning Olympic 200m gold medallist won from a tough field that could have been a preview of the finals at the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

Finishing second to Campbell-Brown was Marshevet Hooker who ran a big personal best of 10.94 seconds.  Muna Lee, 10.97, was third.  The rest of the field finished in a blanket as the next six finishers, including Jamaica's Sheri-Ann Brooks (11.19), all ended within 0.03 seconds of each other.

In the men's 400m hurdles, Jamaica's Danny McFarlane, 48.95, finished second behind American Kerron Clement who won in 48.40 seconds.  The women's equivalent saw Shevon Stoddart, 55.54, finish in second behind world-leader, LaShinda Demus, 55.17 seconds.

Wallace Spearmon easily won the men's 200m in 20.07 from compatriot Rodney Martin, 20.30, as Jamaica's Christopher Williams (20.75) and Junior Burnett (22.33) finished fourth and seventh respectively.

Meanwhile, Sanya Richards, yet to go under 50 seconds for the season, won the 400m in a time of 50.04 seconds which puts her third on the list of fastest times for the year.  Finishing in second place was Jamaica's Novelene Williams-Mills who stopped the clock at 50.70. American Mary Wineber, 50.93, was third.  Jamaica's other two contestants in the event, Shereefa Lloyd (51.49) and Sonita Sutherland (52.89), were fourth and seventh on the night.

Xavier Carter, who finished sixth in the 100m B race, came back to take the men's 400m in 44.70 ahead of Trinidad's Renny Quow, 45.04 and David Neville, 45.33.  Sanjay Ayre (45.79) finished down the track in fifth and Jermaine Gonzales (47.46) was eighth.