Bolt said he submitted a medical exemption ahead of Friday night’s 100 meter final, asking to miss the final and the rest of the events at Jamaica’s Olympic trials.
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Bolt said he was diagnosed with a grade 1 hamstring tear – the most mild sort – and that the discomfort began presenting itself in his quarterfinal race Thursday night.
In the absence of the injured Usain Bolt, Blake won the 100m on Friday and capped his country’s senior national championships – the nation’s version of an Olympic trials – on Sunday with a victory in the 200m, prevailing in 20.29 seconds.
Bolt has submitted a medical exemption and intends to still qualify via the London Anniversary Games on July 22, but this is the most groundbreaking news on the mortality of an worldwide juggernaut since Rocky Balboa cut Ivan Drago in Rocky IV.
“But insane things happen in Olympic years, so we’ll see what happens”, added Gatlin, who launched his Olympic qualification bid with an opening time of 10.03 seconds to comfortably win his 100-meters heat on Saturday.
The reigning world and Olympic champion – seeking his third consecutive Olympic titles in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay – must prove his fitness at a Diamond League meet on July 22 in London to have a hope of running in Rio.
The Jamaican athletics governing body allows for medical exemptions if an athlete can show an injury denied them a chance to compete at the trials.
Bolt holds the world record in the 100 with a time of 9.58, while Gatlin’s best time is 9.74.
“I’ve had an unbelievable career”, the three-time Olympian said.
“He’s the Olympic champ, the world champ”. Thompson equaled Jamaica’s record in the 100, winning with an emphatic time of 10.70 seconds.
Pulling away late, she finished the 400-meter final in 49.68 seconds for a.26-second win over Phyllis Francis, then collapsed in exhaustion and relief.
Rodgers added:”But at the end of the day, he is Bolt”.
“There was a lot of movement in the blocks and stuff like that, so I just had to refocus and run my own race”, Rodgers said. Fraser-Pryce was second with 10.93. “I just needed the win”. “We’re going to see his face in Rio one way or another”, Justin Gatlin said.
But even after Blake regrouped and prevailed, all the buzz was about Bolt and his status going forward especially since the national meet serves as the Jamaican Olympic trials.
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Now, however, he’s relying on the Jamaican Federation to select him for Rio despite missing the trails in the both events.
