Bolt kicks off season by winning 400 metres heat

World 100 and 200 metres record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt sped to victory in his first race of the season on Saturday, winning a 400 heat in 46.35 seconds at the outdoor Camperdown Classic in Jamaica.

Running in lane five, he got off to a slow start but left his challengers gasping as he passed the early leaders by halfway.

Bolt then coasted the last 150, slowing down towards the finish at the National Stadium East.

"We always find 400 metres tough," said Bolt's coach Glen Mills. "I am satisfied with his time.

"I don't have a problem at all. He ran about the same time last year so that's good."

The 22-year-old Bolt, named Jamaica's Sportsman of the Year on Friday, has a best effort of 45.28 for the 400.

Saturday's time was faster than the 46.94 he ran in his season-opener last year and quicker than the 47.75 his 100 metres rival, Jamaican Asafa Powell, clocked earlier this month in his first outdoor race.

Isinbayeva sets pole vault record

Russian Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva extended her own world indoor pole vault record to 5.00 metres at a meeting in Ukraine yesterday.

Isinbayeva, 36, first cleared 4.97 metres to eclipse the mark of 4.95 she set in the same city last year at the event organised by Ukraine men's great and world record holder Sergei Bubka.

The Russian then cleared five metres at her second attempt.