Athletics: Bolt to open season on May 5

AFP, Friday 16 Mar 2012

Olympic champion Usain Bolt will officially open his season at the Jamaica International Invitational Meet on May 5, organizers said Friday

Bolt
Jamaica runner Usain Bolt

Bolt's appearance was announced at a press conference to promote the meeting, set for the national stadium in Kingston.

According to Donald Quarrie, Bolt is one of seven athletes signed on for the ninth edition of the event.

Bolt, the reigning 100m and 200m Olympic champion, pulled out of two local meetings earlier this year as his 2012 season pointed at the London Games got off to a slow start.

"We finalize everything this week with Bolt," said Quarrie, who didn't specify what events Bolt would contest.

Both men's sprints, 100m and 200m will be on the day's card.

World 100m champion Yohan Blake and former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell have also signed.

Blake said in a recent interview that coach Glen Mills had yet to decide which event he and Bolt would run at the meeting, but that they wouldn't race each other.

It seems likely, however, that Powell would face one or the other in the men's 100m.

Meanwhile, two other world champions, Carmelita Jeter and Kirani James will return to the meeting. Jeter won last year's women's 100m while James won the men's 400m.

Olympic 100m and 400m hurdles champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Melaine Walker are also scheduled to compete.

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