Bolt ready for ‘great things’

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt adjusts his hat during a news conference in Ostrava. Bolt will be competing in the 100m event at the IAAF World Challenge Ostrava Golden Spike meeting on Friday, and is also preparing for the London Games.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt adjusts his hat during a news conference in Ostrava. Bolt will be competing in the 100m event at the IAAF World Challenge Ostrava Golden Spike meeting on Friday, and is also preparing for the London Games.

Published May 24, 2012

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Ostrava - Sprint superstar Usain Bolt transformed the world of athletics with a stunning set of world record-setting performances at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Jamaican went on to better his double sprint records at the Berlin worlds a year later, but insisted on Wednesday that he would be ready to deliver more “great things” at this summer's London Games.

“It's the Olympics, I'm going there to do great things,” said Bolt, who opened his season on home soil earlier this month with 9.82 seconds over 100m and kicks off his European season here on Friday.

“I want to repeat what I did in Beijing,” he said, adding: “If I'm in great shape, no one'll beat me in London, that's for sure.”

Bolt, who lost his world 100m title to compatriot Yohan Blake in Daegu last year after false starting in the final, added: “I'm working hard, things are coming together smoothly.

“I'm trying to stay focused and I know I'll get there. I expect to run fast, that's the expectation I have of myself. I definitely want to continue the start of my season.

“I'm working with my coach (Glenn Mills) on my transition and technique, ironing out a few problems.

“I'm definitely on the good path, the right track. I've been injury free and I'm looking to doing extremely well at the Olympics.”

That said, Bolt insisted that setting world record times were not as important as claiming gold.

“You can't say,” he answered when asked what time he expected to win the 100m. “You never know what the temperature will be, you never know what will happen on the day.

“I'll run as fast as possible to get across the line first. I'm not really worried about the time.”

Bolt stressed that he had been forced to take stock after his stunning false-start in Daegu last July, which left fans shell-shocked as one of the world's most recognisable sporting figures was led off the track.

“One thing I learnt about my false start in Daegu is that I definitely need to be myself,” he said.

“I went through the season doing bad starts, but it came together in Daegu. I was anxious because I was doing so well and I lost focus.

“In the 200m, I went right back to being me and there was no problem. I'm over that because I know why I false started. It won't be a factor.”

Bolt welcomed Blake's rise to prominence, saying it was “good for the sport”, explaining that the lack of race-offs between the duo was due to a number of factors such as varying fitness levels, agents' demands and building up suspense over the season.

“You can never be worried about one person. I know what I've got to do to be champion. I'm happy where I'm at.

“When everyone's fit and ready, the showdown will be much better and much fairer.

“The fact is that we can't hide, we will race this season!”

Bolt added that he and his Jamaican teammates were ready to face up against their traditional US rivals led by the likes of Tyson Gay, Wallace Spearmon and Walter Dix.

“We're just keeping it up,” he said of the sprint rivalry between the two nations.

“It's been back and forth but Jamaica's on top now. So we'll try and keep it that way. They've got to work really hard.” - Sapa-AFP

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