Double Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt is seriously looking forward to the mouth-watering clash against Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake at the Racers Grand Prix as it will be an indication as to where he is at this stage of his preparation.

Bolt, who will also line up against Commonwealth Games champion Kemar Bailey-Cole, the promising Askani Simbine of South Africa, Ramon Gittens from Barbados and fellow Jamaicans Nickel Ashmeade and Jason Livermore, said it will be good preparation towards Jamaica’s Senior Trials later this month.

“I take every race seriously,” said Bolt with a puzzled look on his face, when asked how seriously will he be treating this race.

“I go out there to win at all times. I am going to perform at my optimum best and it’s a race that is leading up to the Trials,” Bolt pointed out.

“This race will make it more exciting when it comes to Trials, because then, you can tell who is in shape. Who needs to work on what. Then there will be another showdown which will be great at Trials again,” he added.

Bolt, the double world record holder of the 100m and the 200m with times of 9.58 and 19.19 seconds, respectively, has a seasonal best of 9.98 seconds done on May 20.

His training partner Blake, who has recovered from a long injury, will enter the Racers Grand Prix with the fastest time of the bunch with 9.95 set on April 16, while Powell logged a wind-aided 9.94 seconds, but has a seasonal best of 10.04 seconds. The lanky Bailey-Cole has a seasonal best of 10.01 seconds.

“It’s going to be good,” Bolt emphasised. “It pushes you to run faster and to bring out your best because they are running good and they have faster times than me this season, so…”

“I am excited, I am looking forward to the competition. I thrive on competition and I am looking forward to it,” said Bolt.

Bolt, who will be gunning for an unprecedented three consecutive triple victories at the Olympics in August, said his preparation is far better than last season.

“This year is much, much better. I had a little setback earlier this season, but it’s not as bad. I knew what the problem was,” he explained.

“Now it’s all about getting to race sharpness like last year, but I get a chance to race much more than I did last year,” Bolt reiterated.

“So I will be in great sharpe come Trials and great shape after,” he assured his many fans heading into what will be his final Olympic Games.

“Everything is going very well. I am feeling happy, everything is smooth, training is coming along well and I am just taking my time,” said Bolt.