Bolt - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport

Usain Bolt produced a magnificent new national record of 19.75 seconds in the men's 200 metres final at the National Stadium last night to highlight the third and final day of the Puma/Supreme Ventures National Senior and Junior Championships.

Bolt ran a brilliant curve and came into the straight well clear of his rivals to smash the 19.86 mark held since August 3, 1971 by the great Jamaican sprinter and 1976 Olympic champion, Donald Quarrie.

Congratulated by Quarrie

Among the first to congratulate the 20-year-old was Quarrie, who set the mark at the Pan-American Games in Cali, Colombia.

Quarrie said the key was that Bolt ran relaxed throughout.

"It really helped a lot that he was confident that no one in the race could beat him. I am hoping now that he can take the same men-tality, with a relaxed attitude, when he runs against a guy like Tyson Gay. He ran an excellent curve and if he keeps it up he will go a lot faster."

A very modest Bolt said his hard work this season had really paid off.

"I have really been working very hard all season. The last time I saw Quarrie in Lausanne (Switzerland), I missed the record.

I told him then that next time he won't be so lucky."

On July 11 last year in Lausanne, Bolt clocked 19.88 seconds, just two-hundredths of a second outside Quarrie's record.