Usain Bolt wants 4x400m relay spot in bid for four golds at London Olympics
• Jamaican champion Usain Bolt aims for four golds in London
• ‘If I can help get them a gold, I will want to go on that team’
Agencies
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 12 November 2011 11.52 GMT
Usain Bolt says he wants to go for four gold medals at next summer’s London Olympics, adding the 4x400 metre relay to his usual schedule. The defending Olympic champion in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m events said on Saturday, at a gala in Monaco where he was named international athlete of the year, that if he is fit and if Jamaica can challenge for gold he wants a place on the long relay team, even though he has never competed in the event at the top level.
“If I can help to get them a gold medal I will want to go on that team,” he said. The last male athlete to win four gold medals at the Olympics was Carl Lewis at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Bolt and the Australian hurdler Sally Pearson were named athletes of the year at the International Association of Athletics Federations awards. Bolt, winning the accolade for the third time, bounced back from disqualification for false starting in the world 100m final to retain his 200m title, before anchoring Jamaica to win the 4x100m relay in a world record time. “I really had to push myself – there were some ups and downs throughout the season,” he said. “For me this one means a lot, I’m really proud.”
Pearson had a phenomenal season, winning 15 of 16 races and taking the world 100m hurdles title in 12.28sec, the fastest time in 19 years. The 25-year-old is the first Australian to win the award since it was introduced in 1988.
Bolt also had a clear message to his rival, friend and training partner Yohan Blake heading into Olympics year that he will not relinquish his 200m title in London. Blake emerged as a serious threat to his Jamaican compatriot’s sprint dominance when he won the 100m title at the world championships in August, taking gold in a final in Daegu that produced the most drama before the gun when Bolt was disqualified for a false start.
The 21-year-old Blake followed that up less than three weeks later with the second fastest 200m of all time. “Initially I was shocked because he’s not really a great corner runner … but he’s a great athlete and with great athletes you can expect anything,” Bolt said in Monte Carlo on Saturday. Bolt admitted that his younger compatriot worked “a little harder” than he did. “I’ve said this to Yohan, and to a lot of my friends,: the 200 is my favourite and I won’t let Yohan beat me over 200 metres,” Bolt said. “The 100 [metres] maybe, but I’ve worked hard to perfect that event [the 200] over the years so I’ve told him already I won’t let it happen.”
Their competitive rivalry, Bolt said, shone through in training, day in, day out. "From the first time he walked into our camp he’s been competing with me. Sometimes he beats me – it doesn’t matter, it’s only training. He’s a really competitive person … I have to explain to him that he’s got to relax sometimes. “He’s young and excited but fun to be around. We laugh every day, his personality is great and it’s great to have him as a training partner.”
Bolt atoned for his false start in Daegu by comfortably retaining his 200m title before anchoring the Jamaican 4x100m relay team to win gold in a world record time. The 25-year-old returned to training three weeks ago at a “high intensity” level. “Injury-wise I’m good,” said Bolt, whose 2010 season was curtailed by injury that he said meant this year’s campaign revolved around him “getting back into shape”.
“No problems so far,” he said. “Hopefully I can keep it that way. I’m doing my core exercises, my back exercises, hamstring exercises … everything just to make sure the injuries stay away this season.”
With the London 2012 Olympic Games looming, Bolt said he was “fully focused”. "This is a big season and you have to try and get ahead of the game because a lot of athletes have started their season early. “The Olympics is the biggest stage for an athlete, I know the value of a gold medal … when the Olympics come around, athletes show up on the day so I’m focused on everyone.”