Two-time 100-meter Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt withdrew from the Jamaican Olympic Trials on Friday after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring tear.
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In Bolt’s absence, Yohan Blake won the 200m at the Jamaican Championships in 20.29sec last night, having won the 100m on Friday in 9.95sec. 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 on Thursday night.
“Crazy stuff always happens in an Olympic year, ” said Bolt’s main challenger, Justin Gatlin, who cruised through his 100-meter preliminary in a time of 10.03 seconds.
Although Bolt will miss the trials, the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association selection policy allows for medical exemptions as long as athletes can prove the injury prevented them from competing.
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Bolt complained after the race that “athletes were carried out too early” to the track and that caused him to race “cold”.
Just as he did four years ago, Blake is going to the Olympics as Jamaica’s national champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
LaShawn Merritt, who hopes to compete against Bolt in the 200, spoke to Bolt’s impact on the sport.
He has had a lukewarm season by his standards, running 10.05 seconds in his season-opener at the Cayman Invitational in May and following up with a 9.98 seconds clocking at the Golden Spike in Ostrava later that month.
“I know Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wasn’t healthy and coming out here you have to be tough and she was determined and came out and book her spot to the Olympics”, the world 200m silver medallist said.
‘A lot of people wrote me off but I have taken my time and worked my way back.
“The mystery of the Olympics is in the air”.
“I’ve had an awesome career”, the 31-year-old Richards-Ross said.
In 2015, Bolt announced that he meant to retire after the 2017 World Championships in London, England.
Omar McLeod, centre, finishes first at 13.01 seconds ahead of Deuce Carter, left, who finished second with a time of 13.21 seconds, and fourth place finisher Tyler Mason, right, at 13.49 seconds during the National Senior Championships at National Stadium in Kingston. A dozen years later, at age 34, he is determined to win again.
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Reigning 100m hurdles world champion Danielle Williams clipped a barrier and crashed out of the final, with the win going to Megan Simmonds in 12.79.
