KINGSTON, Jamaica – Beijing Olympics sprint king Usain Bolt will run his first 100m race of this season at the Lucozade Sport/G.C. Foster College Classics on March 14.
Chairperson for the organising committee, Ventley Brown, made the announcement at Monday’s launch at the college’s campus in Angels, Spanish Town, that Bolt, who set the 100 and 200 metres World records of 9.69 and 19.30 seconds, respectively, in Beijing last summer, has been confirmed to run the marquee sprint event at the meet.
“Bolt has confirmed to run the 100m, along with Yohan Blake,” said Brown. Blake, Jamaica’s junior record holder with 10.11sec is a bronze medallist from the 2006 Beijing World Junior Championships.
Bolt’s Jamaican manager Norman Peart confirmed the athlete’s participation, “yes, he’s running the 100m on the 14 March at GC Foster”.
Ricardo Chambers, a semi-finalist in the 400m at the Olympics, is also down to participate, but in the one lap event.
At last year’s meet, Bolt ran what had been up until then his personal best, 10.03 seconds. He went on to run 9.76 at the Jamaica International Invitational, then 9.72 for his first World record at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, also in May.
Competition at the meeting will take place in the 200m, 400m, 800m, all the hurdles, high, long and triple jumps, Discus Throw and Shot Put. The steeplechase for men and women, a first for a local meet, will also be part of the day’s activities, which will conclude with the Milo Grand Prix Series.
Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) President Howard Aris endorsed the event.
Aris said with the National High Schools Boys’ and Girls’ Champs and the first international meet, the Jamaica International Invitational, set for April 1-4 and May 2, respectively, this meet is strategically placed on the calendar.
“It also provides an opportunity for the athletes to come and measure where they are in their programme,” he said.
