Struggling Bolt to test himself at Jamaica trials
JAMES LOOKS TO REGAIN 400-METRE TITLE AT WORLDS, COACH SAYS
Usain Bolt, off to a lacklustre start to the season, will run in Jamaica next week even though he is assured of a World Championships berth as reigning 100 and 200-metre champion.
The world record-holder in the 100m (9.58sec) and 200m (19.19sec) is trying to regain top form after a 2014 season in which he was limited by foot and hamstring injuries.
He has yet to break 10 seconds in the 100m or 20 seconds in the 200m this season, with the World Championships in Beijing — the most important meeting of the year — looming August 22-30.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Bolt will contest the 100m at the Jamaican trials for Beijing.
The heats of the 100m will be on Thursday, the opening day of the four-day Jamaican championships at the national stadium in Kingston, with the semi-finals and final on Friday.
If he reaches the final, Bolt could find himself racing former world record holder Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake, the 2011 100m world champion who is battling back from injury.
Disappointing
On June 13 Bolt clocked a disappointing 20.29 seconds in winning the 200m at the New York Diamond League meeting.
He said after the race that he might have to consider running at the Jamaican championships to gain race fitness.
Grenadian sprinter Kirani James, gold medal winner in the 400 metres at the 2012 London Olympics, is on target to regain his world title, his coach has said.
James won the world title in 2011, but lost it two years later to American rival LaShawn Merritt at the 2013 championships in
❝ I think he is a bit hungry to try to regain his world title, and rightfully so, as well as LaShawn is trying to defend it. So it’s set up for something great.”
Harvey Glance | Kirani James’ coach
Moscow, reports Efe.
“I think he is a bit hungry to try to regain his world title, and rightfully so, as well as LaShawn is trying to defend it. So it’s set up for something great,” coach Harvey Glance said on Saturday.
“Our goal this year has been, and had been for the last several years, is to be consistent week in and week out. We feel though that he could be more of a threat to his competitors if he could run fast week in and week out. That puts a lot of pressure on anyone who tries to compete against him and I think he had done that,” Glance said.
James is unbeaten in five races this year, including three headto-head contests with Merritt.
“But for sure he (James) is in phenomenal shape. I feel as we get more and more in tune in his training as well as his career, he will be consistently running 43 seconds,” Glance said.