Bolt leaves door open for 2017 worlds
Usain Bolt has left the door open to running in both the 100 and 200 metres at next year’s world championships where he said he will be more focused on protecting his legacy than topping his world records.
The Jamaican, who last month drew down the curtain on his Olympic career by securing a sweep of the sprint titles for a third successive Games, said his plan was to only contest the 100m in London but that his coach has other ideas.
“That’s the plan, but I still have to discuss it with my coach,” Bolt told Television Jamaica on Tuesday.
“(Glen Mills) still wants me to do the double, but I’ve told him I would really like to just do the 100m, so at the start of the season we’ll decide exactly what (to focus on), but that’s what’s on my mind.”
Bolt has wild card entries for both the 100 and 200 metres at the Aug. 5-13 world championships by virtue of winning both events at last year’s worlds in Beijing. But Bolt, who set the 100 and 200 world records of 9.58 and 19.19 seconds in 2009, said he is not planning to top either of those times.
“No (world records), it’s all beyond me now, right now it is just for me to go out there and leave with a big bang as much as possible,” said Bolt.
“I just want to go to the world championships, do my best as always and stay on a certain level and that’s the plan.”