Olympic champion Usain Bolt obliterated the opposition to win the 100m at the Golden League meeting in Paris in a stunning time of 9.79 seconds.
Running in pouring rain and into a strong headwind, Bolt made an indifferent start but powered into the lead in the latter part of the race.
Britain's Simeon Williamson was off the pace, finishing sixth in 10.14.
His GB team-mate Phillips Idowu came through to win the triple jump with a leap of 17.17m at the Stade de France.
Idown beat the Cuban trio of Yoandris Betanzos, Alexis Copello and David Giralt, who all head him in this year's world rankings and the 30-year-old knew it was important psychological blow with the World Championships in Berlin just a few weeks away.
"I'm happy, this is my first victory in this stadium," said Idowu.
"Today winning was the most important thing. If I can win and jump well in these conditions, I will be able to do very well in Berlin.
"I know that - and they know it too."
The focus of the world's best athletes will soon shift to Berlin, and Bolt's performance served as a warning to any sprinter who believes they can challenge for the gold medal.
"It's a measure of his calibre and his status these days that many here would have gone home disappointed that he didn't break the world record," said Radio 5 Live athletics correspondent Mike Costello.
606: DEBATE" A good race by Bolt but i don't think Gay will be all that frightened. "
"But in these conditions, driving rain among them, it shows he's in great form leading through to the World Championships."
Bolt's time was the second fastest of the season, just 0.02 seconds slower than Tyson Gay of the United States, who recorded 9.77 into a headwind in Rome.
Antigua's Daniel Bailey (9.91 secs) and Yohan Blake (9.93 secs) of Jamaica finished second and third in impressive times.
"I'm happy it was a good race, I know people love me, so I try every time to be at my best," said Bolt.
"I had a good feeling on the track - I thought I was flying.
"In these conditions the time is great. But it was hard to put everything in place from start to finish.
"My reaction (at the start) is poor, this is something I have to work on in the next weeks before Berlin.
"But it's life, things don't ever happen the way you want.
Bolt may have attracted much of the attention in Paris, but the other contenders for the $1m Golden League jackpot also won their races, the fourth of the six-leg series.
Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele eased to victory in the men's 3000m in 7:28.64, comfortably clear of Bernard Lagat, while Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva needed just one attempt to win the pole vault at 4.65m.
Jamaica's Kerron Stewart took the 100m in 10.99 secs and United States star Sanya Richards clinched the women's 400m in 49.34 secs.
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