The cream of world athletics will convene in London on Friday for this season’s two-day Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games, 24-25 July. Usain Bolt will be Friday’s star attraction at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. At Thursday’s press conference (See video below), Bolt said:
I know the support is going to be big so I am looking forward to it. Everywhere I go there are always a lot of Jamaicans in the crowd especially in London and I come here for the fans, they support me and I want to do great for them. I want to put on a show.
Friday sees the return of Usain Bolt to London, where the charismatic superstar sprinter achieved one of the greatest accomplishments of his career. But he will be forced to produce his best form as the new stars of the event push him to the limit.
Bolt, who has been struggling with poor form and a pelvic injury, takes on Americans Ryan Bailey and Mike Rodgers, along with Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut, fellow countrymen Nesta Carter and Kemar Bailey-Cole and British diamond Chijindu Ujah, who became only the fifth British sprinter to run sub-10 seconds, last year. Watch press conference in full.
Fans have been very concerned about the superstar sprinter’s health and his ability to defend his 100m and 200m world titles at next month’s World Champion, after he suffered a pelvic injury that led to the Jamaican withdrawing from races in Paris last month and Lausanne weeks ago. The Legendary sprinter also pulled out of the 100m at the Jamaica national trials at short notice.
Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell, and Tyson Gay have all run faster, with Justin Gatlin having three of the fast times so far this season and remains been unbeaten. He leads the field with a season-best of 9.74 seconds. Bolt has run just five times this season, clocking a 100m best of 10.12 seconds in April.
Bolt said he won’t really know where he is at until after the race:
I’ve been training really hard and working on what I need to work on. Now we’ll see what happens. Tomorrow (Friday) will give me momentum and focus going into the championships. It’s all about executing my race. I’m trying to get that right, and if I do I will be in good shaped
Nine other Jamaicans will compete at the games, Nickel Ashmeade and Julian Forte will line up in the men’s 200m in a very competitive field. Stephanie McPherson, Christine Day and Novlene Williams-Mills will compete in a strong field in the Women’s 400m. Kimberly Williams will compete in the Triple Jump. Jason Morgan, the world leader in the men’s discus with 68.19m set in June, will be pushing his limits in the Shot Put. Jenieve Russell prepares for the 400m hurdles. Meanwhile, tomorrow, the promising Elaine Thompson will have run an impressive 200m to beat the strong Americans. Thompson is Jamaica’s main hope for medal in the 200m in Beijing after easily winning the Jamaica’s Senior Championship.
