Usain Bolt concluded what has been a phenomenal season with another breathtaking display over his favourite 200 metres distance at the World Athletics Final in Thessalonika on Sunday.

Bolt said tiredness towards the end of the race, which has prompted him to call his memorable year to an immediate halt, slowed him, although he still roared to another fantastic time of 19.68 seconds at the Greek venue.

The performance yet again saw the 23-year-old Jamaican, who set his second world record of 19.19sec when winning last month's World Championship title, racing against the clock rather than his rivals.

Bolt motored around the bend of the sell-out Kaftanzoglio stadium before accelerating down the final straight to leave Wallace Spearmon (20.21sec) and Brendan Christian (20.65sec) struggling in his slipstream.

The latest superlative victory saw him narrowly miss the Greek all-comers record of 19.67sec, which he achieved in July last year in Athens.

"The finish wasn't on purpose, I was a little bit tired," Bolt said after noticeably slowing in the final metres. "I was running on fumes and that was the last bit of energy I had.

"I'm just happy that the season's over and I did well and I didn't get injured, which was the key for me."

Bolt, who has been away from Jamaica for more than 10 weeks, added: "This is the longest season that I've done. I've done better than I expected and now I just want to concentrate on doing my best year after year."

Britain's Marlon Devonish, after making the only permitted false start in the race, gave it everything he had in his armoury but had to settle for sixth in 20.85sec.

On a great night for women's sprinting, Carmelita Jeter scored a fabulous 100m victory, clocking the fifth fastest time ever of 10.67sec with a memorable victory ahead of Shelly-Ann Fraser and Kerron Stewart.

Jeter's time was the fastest on the planet since drug cheat Marion Jones ran 10.65sec at altitude 10 years ago and only a third American, world record holder Florence Griffith Joyner, has run quicker.

The world bronze medallist, breathless after her stunning show, said: "Around 60m I picked my knees up and I could feel myself just bouncing along the track."

Britain's Jenny Meadows was the only medallist from the World Championships in the 800m line-up but she failed to capitalise on the absence of Caster Semenya and Janeth Jepkosgei.

After a speedy finish down the home straight reminiscent of the attack that won her the bronze medal in Berlin, Meadows looked a good bet for victory.

But in the final 20 metres the American pair of Anna Willard and Maggie Vessey proved the stronger in what was a nailbiting finish.

Willard, better known as a 1500m runner, won in two minutes 00.20 seconds, with her team-mate, who was knocked out in the semi-finals in Berlin, 0.11sec behind and Meadows hot on her heels.

In the blanket finish, the Wigan star clocked 2min 00.41sec while UK champion Jemma Simpson, after her excellent second place in last week's Brussels Golden League meeting, went backwards to finish seventh in 2:00.99.

Chris Tomlinson was also in disappointing form and never in the hunt in the long jump competition, where he placed seventh with a best effort of 7.85m.

There was a shock defeat for three-time world champion Dwight Phillips, who led going into the last round with 8.24m. But a huge gust of wind blew defending champion Fabrice Lapierre to a winning leap of 8.33m.

After losing the 200m title on the opening day despite clocking the same time as Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards once again dominated her speciality 400m with another runaway victory.

Despite the rich pedigree of opposition in the field, including Olympic gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu, Richards was in a class of her own as she finished well clear of everyone in a time of 49.95sec.

Ohuruogu, an encouraging second behind the USA's world champion in Brussels last week, was never a contender, finishing sixth in a time of 51.42sec.

"I had a bad race in a very bad season," said Ohuruogu, who has been a shadow of her former self this summer. "I am sure my coach will be angry with me."

She added: "Maybe I didn't train hard this year, even though I had many problems with injuries."

Former world silver medallist Nicola Sanders showed better form, moving through to an impressive fourth position with a spirited run down the home straight to record a time of 51.01sec.

Laura Kenney could not live with the blistering pace set by her African rivals, with Meseret Defar adding the 3,000m title to the 5,000m she won yesterday, posting a world leading mark for the year of 8min 30.15sec.

Scot Kenney, however, gave it her very best shot and, in the biggest race of her career, was rewarded with a lifetime best time of 8min 50.37sec.

Andy Turner, whose World Championship hopes were wrecked by a hamstring injury, placed fifth in the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.57sec. Berlin champion Ryan Brathwaite won in 13.16sec.