Usain Bolt to miss Commonwealth Games while Powell is back on the world record prowl
Thursday, June 24, 2010
, Posted by Unknown at 3:49 AM
Despite earlier speculation, Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt's coach Glen Mills confirmed yesterday that the triple-world record holder will not run in the2010 Commonwealth Games slated for Delhi, India, October 3-14. Meanwhile, Bolt's team mate Asafa Powell is back on the prowl this summer to regain his previous 100 meter world record title and will next challenge American record holder Tyson Gay at the Aviva British Grand Prix meet on July 10.
The Commonwealth Games sports festival occurs every four years in India, and its track and field component boasts athletes from around the world and provides competition on par with the Olympics and IAAF World Championships. A report in The Times of India cited an anonymous source saying that meet organizers were willing to offer Bolt as much as a $1 million appearance fee to run at the Games. Bolt will forgo both this supposed appearance fee and also will not compete in the Jamaica National Championships (Trials) this coming weekend.
However, Usain Bolt's coach Glen Mills confirmed yesterday that Bolt will miss the major athletic event, but not due to a recent Achilles tendon injury that sidelined him for the New York Diamond League Adidas Grand Prix meet two weeks ago. Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the Commonwealth Games organizing committee, and his set $1.6 billion Commonwealth Games budget will have a hard meet to host without the international sprint powerhouse. Bolt is scheduled to resume training next week.
Usain Bolt missed the 2006 Commonwealth Games as well, but then actually due to injury. In Bolt's place, his team mate Asafa Powell took the 100 meter Commonwealth Games title four years ago. Powell so far serves as the fastest man of 2010 with his three major IAAF Diamond League Meeting wins.
Asafa Powell stormed the track at the Diamond League Meeting in Oslo for the EXXON Mobil Bislett Games on June 4 to win the men's 100 meters in a 2010 best (and tied for a personal best) 9.72 seconds. His Oslo result bested his previous 2010 world best 100 meters of 9.83 seconds set at the Ostrava Diamond League Meeting on May 27. He also won the Doha Diamond League Meetin a wind-aided 9.81 seconds.
Powell has made mention that he is ready to regain his 100 meter world record as soon as possible, and on July 10 he will face Tyson Gay at the Aviva British Grand Prix in Gateshead, England. The Jamaican won this title four years ago in a then world record of 9.77 seconds.
Currently have 0 comments: