Carter smiling after splendid season

THE world's fourth fastest man ever over 100 metres, Jamaican Nesta Carter, returned home on Friday after a successful 2010 season on the international circuit.

The former Manchester High student lowered his previous personal best time of 9.91s by a staggering 0.13s during the course of the season.

He told media personnel after arriving at the Norman Manley International Airport that his early season, wind-aided (+2.6m/s) run of 9.88s at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League meeting in Doha, Qatar set the tone for what was to come.

In that race he finished second behind MVP clubmate Asafa Powell, who ran 9.81s.

"It was a fantastic season starting off in May in Doha when I ran 9.8. Asafa told me (after the race) that I could run it again because I've been there. I proved it and I'm happy with the results and I'd really like to thank my coach, as well as the staff that works with our team," Carter said.

On August 9, Carter clocked 9.86s to set a meet record in Nottwil, Switzerland, and followed up by shaving 0.01s off that time to finish behind the American Tyson Gay at the last of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League series in Brussels, Belgium on August 27.

Just two days later, at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Rieti, Carter continued his phenomenal progression at the tail-end of the 2010 season with a superlative run under legal wind conditions of +0.9m/s to equal Gay's world best of 9.78s.

Only world record-holder, Usain Bolt (9.58s), Gay (9.69s) and Powell (9.72s) have gone faster.

Carter expressed pleasure at being able to rub shoulders with the world's best and is grateful his 2010 season was largely injury-free.

"It feels good to be among the top guys in the world, like Usain, Asafa and Tyson Gay. Nesta Carter is next in line, so I'm really proud of myself," said the 24-year-old, while adding, "...it's the end of the season and I'm really happy that I ended it without getting any major injuries at all."

Carter conceded that his sub-par performance at another of the World Challenge meets — this time in Zagreb, Croatia on September 1 — was due to a slight collision with Gay just after the midway point in the race.

"The last race I went out there to have some fun and (though) we all go into a race expecting to win; it didn't happen... because we collided, but things like that happen," he said.

Gay, running in lane five, swayed towards Carter (lane four) before powering past the Jamaican to win in 9.92. With the race out of reach, Carter shut it down in the latter stages and finished a distant second in 10.07.

Carter said he was satisfied with Gay's reaction after the American reportedly apologised at a post-race press conference.

"Yeah, I accept the apology. Tyson tends to sway now and then in a race and it happened and I was obstructed, (but) I really appreciate the apology," said the 4x100 relay gold medallist from the Beijing Olympics.

When asked about prospective clashes with compatriots Bolt, Powell and young Yohan Blake next season leading up to the 2011 World Athletics Championships to be staged in Daegu, South Korea, Carter stressed that his preparation work will be essential.

"It's a competitive year coming up ...I'm just going to put in the hard work and hope for the best and see the results at the end of next season.

"We all are going to go out there to have some fun... (but) I have to focus on making the team before I can even talk about taking a medal or making it to the (100m Championships) final," he said.

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