Kingston: World champion Yohan Blake edged world record holder Usain Bolt to win the men's 100-metre in 9.75 seconds at the Jamaican Olympic Athletic Trials here.

Blake Friday became the fourth-fastest man ever in the event as he ran a personal best and the fastest time in the world this year, reported Xinhua.

"Coach (Glen) Mills told me I can do it and I believed," he said. "The Olympics is the focus right now."

Reigning Olympic champion Bolt was second in 9.86 seconds after a poor start, and Asafa Powell snatched the third Olympic spot in 9.88 in a star-studded final.

"He's a class runner without a doubt and I have said it over the years that he is one of the best. So for me it's just one of those things," Bolt said of Blake.

Bolt said he was distracted in the blocks, which affected his start.

"In the finals Nesta (Carter) moved beside me and when the gun went I was not focussed," Bolt said. "It is hard to run down people like Asafa and Blake with his top end speed. But for me to get left in the blocks like that is really bad.

"In the semis again, the guy next to me moved and it threw me off. It is kind of hard to ignore them so when they move it's going to throw me off a little bit." (IANS)