Record-breaking Bolt claims Olympic sprint double

SPRINT KING: Jamaica's Usain Bolt poses next to a scoreboard after setting a new world record in 200m.

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Beijing: Jamaican Usain Bolt became the first man in 24 years to claim the Olympic sprint double on Wednesday when he won the 200m in record-breaking style.

Bolt set a new world record time of 19.30 seconds to bag a double last achieved by American Carl Lewis at the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

The Jamaican, who will be 22 on Thursday, broke the record set by American Michael Johnson of 19.32sec at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Churandy Martina of the Dutch Antilles was stripped of his Olympic 200m silver medal after the US team's protest that he had run out of his lane was upheld.

The move deprives the Dutch Antilles of their first ever Olympic track and field medal, and sees 2004 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford of the United States take silver behind Jamaican Usain Bolt, who won the race in a world record of 19.30 seconds.

Crawford's team-mate Walter Dix, a bronze medallist in the men's 100m also won by Bolt, will now take bronze.

The US team had initially protested the disqualification of third American runner Wallace Spearmon, who had finished in bronze-medal position behind Bolt and Martina.

But they ultimately accepted the decision that Spearmon had in fact crossed lanes.

After he had won the 100m title - also with a world record of 9.69sec - on Saturday, this 200m race in sultry conditions at a packed 91,000-capacity National Stadium was all about Bolt.

He accelerated off his blocks in a perfect start and within 20 metres had tracked down Zimbabwe's Brian Dzingai on his outside.

As he hit the final bend, Bolt was a metre up on Crawford on his inside and he entered the final straight looking majestic as he sprinted well clear of the field.

There was no easing up in the final 10 metres, as he had done in the 100m, the Jamaican dipping fiercely at the line with clenched teeth.