Back from vacation and lovin’ the World Track and Field Championships. Nice to see Usain Bolt turn off the clowning and preening when it counts: in the race and during the playing of the Jamaican National Anthem. He’s a joy to watch, and it’s good to see him take the race more seriously than he did in Beijing. Perhaps the presence of Tyson Gay had something to do with that.

Belated congrats to Christian Cantwell of Columbia, Mo., who won the shot put Saturday. Cantwell, a former Mizzou athlete, has won two world indoor titles, but the outdoor version seems to have more cache.

Nice to see three U.S. runners in the final of the 1,500 meters: Bernard Lagat, Lopez Lomong, and Leo Manzano, who became the first runner to break the 4-minute barrier in the mile at an outdoor meet in Missouri in May, when he won the Big River Festival of Miles in 3 minutes 55.29 seconds.

Bravo to Versus for live coverage in the afternoon and expanded coverage in the evening. It’s the Tour de France all over again. Check the schedule here.