Bolt runs 9.77 in cold, wet conditions

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Usain Bolt battled the cold and a headwind, and was forced to come from behind to beat Asafa Powell in 9.77 seconds in a season farewell 100 meters at the Van Damme Memorial.

Running into 1.3 meter-per-second headwind, the Olympic champion had a bad start and immediately saw Powell shoot ahead of him. In his last race of the season, however, nothing was going to stop the world record holder from spoiling his farewell party in Europe.

Halfway through he pulled even with Powell and then his huge stride took over, finishing just .08 seconds off the world record he set at the Beijing Games.

Powell, the only runner to have beaten Bolt this season, finished second in 9.83 and Nesha Carter made it a Jamaican sweep in 10.07.