After the previous week's narrow loss over 100m by Justin Gatlin in the Rome- his first Diamond League defeat since Gatlin's fellow American Tyson Gay beat him over the same distance in Stockholm in 2010 - the 26-year-old Jamaican had arrived in Norway knowing he had a point to make.

Nobody looked remotely likely to further undermine Bolt's World Championship preparations in what is his favourite distance, and the intent way he crossed the line in overcast conditions at the Bislett Stadium indicated the seriousness with which he had approached his task. Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure was a distant second in 20.36.

The six-times Olympic champion had introduced himself to the crowd driving an electric-powered Formula 1-style car, and although he required some help to get moving once he had arrived on the track, no such assistance was required once he returned powered by two long legs.

Two years ago, Bolt won the Oslo 200m in 19.86.

On this occasion he dipped below the stadium record of 19.82, set by Olympic silver medallist Frankie Fredericks in 1996.

Usain Bolt crosses the line in 19.79sec to win the 200m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Oslo in the fastest time this year

Bolt later tweeted: "Very chilly but I ran as fast as I could, and as I promised. It was good so I can't complain."

Meseret Defar produced one of the highlights of the meeting by bursting away from Kenya's Viola Kibiwot and fellow Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba to win the women's 5,000m in 14min 26.90sec, the fastest time since 2011.

Earlier, Britain's Tiffany Porter eased to victory in the women's 100m hurdles in 12.76, comfortably finishing ahead of her nearest rivals, Belgium's Sara Aerts in 12.95 and Austria's Beate Schrott 12.97.

"It wasn't my best time but I'm being optimistic and patient," said Porter.

"The World Championships in Moscow is the big goal at this point."

There was also a British win in the women's long jump where Shara Proctor's first-time leap of 6.89 metres was enough to secure victory ahead of France's Eloyse Lesueur with 6.68m.

European indoor 400m champion Perri Shakes-Drayton ran a season's best 54.03 to finish second in the women's 400m hurdles, behind the Czech Republic's Olympic bronze medallist Zuzana Hejnova in 53.60.

"I am very pleased with that," the Londoner told the BBC.

"I am going to juggle with both [the 400m flat and hurdles] and see how it goes."

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