Evry, France – Triple European sprint champion Christophe Lemaitre warmed up for the high-profile Rome leg of the Diamond League by clocking 10.08 seconds to win the French Interclubs 100m final on Sunday.
Lemaitre stormed to the outdoor sprint treble in Barcelona last summer but is seeking the form that will enable him to become a serious contender on the international stage ahead of the August 27-September 4 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
His first test proper comes in the Diamond League outing in the Italian capital on Thursday against Jamaican stars Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell.
Although hampered by calf cramps halfway through the blue ribbon event at Evry, south of Paris, the 20-year-old Lemaitre was happy with his time in only his second outdoor appearance of the season.
“It's the first time that has happened in full flight,” he said of his cramps. “To clock 10.08sec in a competition of this level with cramps, that's okay!”
Lemaitre added that he expected to run “in the vicinity of 10sec” when he comes up against current world and Olympic 100 and 200m champion (and reigning double sprint world record holder) Bolt and former world record holder Powell in Rome. – Sapa-AFP