OSLO, Norway -- Usain Bolt ran the fastest time in the world this season as he eased to victory in the 200 meters at a Diamond League meet Thursday, while Caster Semenya finished third behind Halima Hachlaf in the 800 meters.
Bolt, the Jamaican world-record holder, raced through the rain at the Bislett Games to win convincingly in 19.86 seconds. Norwegian Jaysuma Saidy Ndure was second in 20.43, while Mario Forsythe of Jamaica was third in 20.49.
Bolt said he was pleased with a time as he tunes up for the world championships in August.
"I was never really out of business," Bolt said. "Business was just a bit slow."
The world and Olympic champion was unperturbed by the downpour that fell as the race got under way and never looked under any real pressure from the rest of the field.
"I always seem to compete best when it's raining," Bolt said. "I'm happy. I'm back to being Usain Bolt. Not perfect, but I think I'm getting there."
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In the women's 800, Hachlaf also set a world-leading time of 1:58.27 to hold off Russia's Mariya Savinova and Semenya of South Africa. The 20-year-old Semenya is trying to rediscover the form that carried her to victory in the 2009 world championships.
She was second in last weekend's Diamond League event at Eugene, Ore.
"I'm just three seconds away from my best," she told The Associated Press. She also revealed that she is preparing to race at Diamond League events in Lausanne and Stockholm this summer.
"I'm happy with the time," Semenya said. "Now I just need to go back and work on it more – 1:57 is what I'm planning for the next races."
Arles Merritt of the United States won the 110 hurdles in 13.12, while Norway's Christina Vukicevic comfortably held on to an early lead to take the 100-meter hurdles in 12.79.
Kenyan Paul Kipsiele Koech strode away from his rivals in the 3,000 steeplechase to set the best time of the season in a track record 8:01.83. His countryman Nicholas Kiptanui Kemboi took the 1,500 in 3:37.25, his best time of the season.
World championship silver medalist Kyriakos Ioannou of Cyprus earned won the high jump with a leap of 2.28, while Olympic champion Gerd Kanter won the discus with a throw of 65.14.
In the javelin, Germany's Matthias De Zordo claimed four diamond league points with a throw of 83.94. South African Godfrey Khotso Mokoena saved the best for last in the long jump with a winning fifth leap of 8.08.
Ivet Lalova of Bulgaria excelled in the women's 100, sprinting first to the line in 11.01, while Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic took the 400 hurdles in 54.38.
Amantle Montsho of Botswana claimed her second Diamond League win of the season in the 400, finishing in a season-best 50.10 to add to her victory in Eugene.
In the 5,000, Ethiopian Meseret Defere ran her fastest race of the season to see off four of her compatriots for a winning time of 14:37.32.
Cuban triple jumper Yargelis Savigne meanwhile earned her second Diamond League victory of the season with a jump of 14.81, while New Zealander Valerie Adams won the shot put with a throw of 20.26, and Fabiana Murer of Brazil jumped 4.60 to win the pole vault.