French 100m sprinter Jimmy Vicault posts season best 9.86sec

United States' Tyson Gay (left) and France's Jimmy Vicault during the World Athletics Championships 100m semi-final in Beijing last year

Montreuil (France): French sprinter Jimmy Vicault posted a season-best 100m time of 9.86sec to equal his own European record in Montreuil on Tuesday.

United States' Tyson Gay (left) and France's Jimmy Vicault during the World Athletics Championships 100m semi-final in Beijing last year. Pic/Getty Images

The 24-year-old had clocked 9.99sec at Rome's Diamond League last Thursday, enough to qualify for the August 5-21 Rio Games.

He became co-holder of the European 100m record on July 4, 2015 in Paris when he matched the mark set by Portugal's Francis Obikwelu at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

"I thought I'd put in a big time today. I'm really satisfied with that," said Vicault.

His time is the quickest 100m run anywhere in the world this year, ahead of Qatari Femi Ogunode (9.91), veteran Kim Collins (9.93) and Justin Gatlin (also 9.93).

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, set to defend his 100m, 200m and 4x100m Olympic titles in Brazil, has run the blue riband distance this year in 9.98 last month in Ostrava.

The six-time Olympic gold medallist owns the 100m world record at 9.58.