Bolt in doubt for Rio after injury scare

The fastest man on the planet now in a race to prove fitness for his Olympic swansong.

The fastest man on the planet is in danger of missing the Rio Olympics.

Usain Bolt was forced to pull out of Jamaica’s national championships yesterday (NZ time) with a hamstring injury just minutes before he was due to race in the 100m final.

Although the meet doubled as the country’s Olympic trials, Bolt still has a chance to secure a place in Rio, where he is expected to defend his titles in the 100m and 200m.

Unlike the United States, where the first three finishers in the trials qualify for the Games, Jamaica’s selection policy allows medical exemptions.

Bolt said he was diagnosed with a grade one hamstring tear and his status for the Games now rests on how he performs at the London Anniversary Games later this month.

‘‘I have submitted a medical exemption to be excused from the 100m final and the remainder of the national championships,’’ Bolt, the 100m and 200m world record holder, said in a statement.

‘‘I will seek treatment immediately and hope to show fitness at the London Anniversary Games on July 22 to earn selection for the Olympic Games in Rio.’’

Bolt’s injury is on the lighter end of the scale, however, his coach Glen Mills said that when it came to hamstrings they could ill afford to take any chances.

‘‘Hamstring injuries are always serious. The fact that he couldn’t run, showed it is serious, but we’ll see what happens between now and [the Olympics],’’ Mills told Reuters.

Yohan Blake won the 100m title and formally qualified for Rio – but only after a false-start disqualification call against him was overturned after review.

Yet all that drama was overshadowed by his long-time rival’s injury scare.

Bolt has already announced that Rio will be his final Olympics.

And Blake, who finished second to Bolt at the London Games in the 100m, was confident that the 29-year-old would be joining him in Brazil.

‘‘No doubt, no doubt, no doubt,’’ Blake said. ‘‘It’s just a caution measure. He’s good. Just being cautious.’’

Former world record holder Asafa Powell, who was fourth in the final, added: ‘‘We need him out there.

‘‘I’m sure he’ll be fine. I’m sure he’ll be fine for Rio. I’m sure he’s just being very cautious.’’

REUTERS & TWITTER Multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt grimaces in pain after tearing his hamstring, above, and receiving treatment for the injury in Jamaica, below.