Bolt could be lightning fast on return to China
SHANGHAI, China (CMC) — Usain Bolt continued to map-out his schedule for the coming international season this week.
Organisers of the IAAF Diamond League meet next month have indicated that the Jamaican megastar sprinter will run the 200 metres here on May 23.
It will be the first time that Bolt has returned to China, since he established himself as the king of World sprinting at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Bolt won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m in the Chinese capital — all in World record time.
He is also the reigning World champion in the 100 and 200, following another pair of record-breaking sprints at the World Championships in Berlin one year later.
The event will also mark Bolt’s entry in the inaugural 14-meet Diamond League series, which replaced the six-city IAAF Golden League, and IAAF officials hope the Shanghai track could inspire Bolt to reset the World record again.
“The track in Shanghai is already proven to be super quick with 9.69 seconds and 10.64 secs winning times in last year’s men’s and women’s 100 sprints,” said a media release published on the website of the sport’s world governing body.
“So the venue is sure to suit ‘Lightning Bolt’, and inspire the IAAF Diamond League Ambassador to great performances, so ensuring his race over 200 will be one of the highlights of the meeting as fans hope to witness another fast time from the World record-breaker.”
The Shanghai Diamond League meet will also feature hometown boy Liu Xiang.
The former Olympic and World 110 hurdles champion is on the comeback trail, following a foot injury that forced him to withdraw from the Beijing Games.
“I am very excited that so many World-class athletes will come to China, and my hometown Shanghai to participate in the IAAF Diamond League,” said Xiang.
“We will do our best to give outstanding performances for local and global track & field fans.”
The 2010 IAAF Diamond League circuit begins on May 14 in Qatar, and will be held in 14 cities around the world, with the one-day event at the Shanghai Stadium on May 23.
The IAAF Diamond League offers US $6.63 million in total prize money across 32 track & field disciplines, each staged seven times over the series.
