Tuesday, 20 May 2008 Another 9.7 was possible, says Bolt
Usain Bolt en route to his dazzling 9.76 in Kingston (Getty Images)
Bolt cruises to 9.92 victory at Hampton Games
Bolt stuns with 9.76 dash in Kingston – Jamaica International report
Usain Bolt believes another 9.7 seconds 100 metres run was possible, at the Hampton International Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Saturday night (17).
The Jamaican sprinter followed up on his amazing 9.76 seconds dash at the Jamaica International Invitational earlier this month with victory in a Hasely Crawford Stadium record of 9.92 seconds on Saturday. Had he not shut down some 25 metres from the line, Bolt would have produced an even faster clocking.
“I wasn’t really happy,” Bolt told the Trinidad Express, “because I had a real bad start and the blocks did not feel comfortable at all, so when I got in front I just shut it off because I wasn’t feeling very happy with myself.”
Bolt’s 9.76 run in Jamaica earned him second spot on the all-time men’s 100m performance list.
“Maybe if I had a good start, maybe 9.7 again, because I felt great and it was easy running 9.9…I think I did well and I’m really proud of myself. I just wanted to go under 10 seconds.
“My coach (Glen Mills),” the 21-year-old athlete continued, “said ‘just come here, I want to see how you compete, and if you go under ten seconds that would be good’.”
Saturday’s 9.92 run in the special men’s international 100m is the fastest-ever legal time on Trinidad and Tobago soil, bettering the 9.96 produced by T&T’s Marc Burns, on the same track, at the 2005 National Open Championships.
Bolt will be back in action on 31 May, at the IAAF World Athletics Tour meeting in New York, USA, where he is expected to square off against 2007 double World sprint champion Tyson Gay, of the United States, in the men’s 100m. At the World Championships, in Osaka, Japan, last year, Bolt finished second to Gay in the 200m final.
Bolt said he does not yet know if he will compete in both sprints at the Beijing Olympics, in August.
“We haven’t actually decided what we’re going to do. We had a plan for the season and we’re still working on that plan, up towards the (Jamaica) trials. Coach says to give him a few weeks or so and he’ll let me know, so I’m just working off his schedule.
“I haven’t started 200 training yet,” Bolt continued, “so I’m really looking forward to that. I’ll be doing that, starting Monday (19 May).”
Kwame Laurence (Trinidad Express) for the IAAF
SO, ARE WE TALKING SHORT-TO-LONG HERE? kk