From Japan Times

AFP-JIJI

GEORGE TOWN – Usain Bolt will take the first long strides on his road to Rio here Saturday when he makes his 2016 track debut with less than three months to go before the Olympics.

The Jamaican sprint king is planning a successful defense of his 100 meters, 200 and 4×100 crowns in Brazil, an unprecedented “triple-triple” in what he has said will be his final Olympic games.

The 29-year-old superstar has not competed since winning three gold medals at last August’s World Championships in Beijing and is hoping to use this weekend’s Cayman Invitational to gauge the state of his race fitness.

Bolt, the world-record holder over 100m and 200m, runs in the 100 on Saturday at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.

“When I left Jamaica everything was good,” Bolt told AFP at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex on Thursday.

“This is my first race, so you never know what to expect, because race fitness is different from training.”

Bolt however believes he is ready to hit the ground running, revealing that training partner Yohan Blake has been in blistering form this year.

“The way I feel I should run a good time, because I train with (Yohan) Blake, who ran a good time (9.93 seconds) already this season,” Bolt said.

Bolt’s competition on Saturday includes another training partner, Kemar Bailey-Cole, and the Cayman Islands’ Kemar Hyman, both of whom have gone below 10 seconds for the 100.

Bolt will also run in Ostrava, the Czech Republic, later this month, where he is scheduled to face U.S. decathlon king Ashton Eaton over 100 meters.

“These upcoming races will determine where I am preparing for Rio,” Bolt said.

“I just have to hope that everything fall into place and when I get back to Jamaica in training, I will know what I need to work on.”

Although his qualification for the Olympics is likely to be a formality, Bolt said the Jamaican track and field trials were a priority.

“We always focus on trials (Jamaica Olympic Trials) first,” he said before reiterating his determination to scoop another treble of golds in Rio, where he is also hoping to become the first man to duck under 19 seconds for the 200.

“I am going to Rio for the three gold medals. That’s always the aim and as I said earlier in the season, I would love to break 19 seconds,” he said.

Elsewhere on Saturday, America’s 2011 world champion and Olympic Games silver medalist Carmelita Jeter headlines the women’s 100, which also has U.S. 200-meter champion Jenna Prandini and Jamaican Kerron Stewart.

Prandini is also in the women’s 200 with compatriot Miki Barber.

American Kori Carter is the biggest name in the women’s 400 hurdles while Kendra Harrison of the United States will start favorite over Phylicia George of Canada and Virgina Crawford in the women’s sprint hurdles.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Machel Cedenio will try to better his personal best of 44.34 clocked here last year in the men’s 400.

IMAGE: Sprinter Usain Bolt, seen posing during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the flagship Hublot store on Fifth Avenue in New York City in April, begins his 2016 season at this weekend’s Cayman Invitational. | REUTERS

For more on this story go to: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2016/05/13/more-sports/track-field/jamaican-superstar-bolt-prepared-season-debut/#.Vzck6quUSaw

Related:

Bolt “I’m in good shape” ready for Cayman Invitational

By Gary Smith, From TrackAlerts

GEORGE TOWN, CAYMAN ISLANDS – Usain Bolt says he’s in pretty good shape and is targeting a sub-10 seconds performance in his season opener at the Cayman Invitational on Saturday (14).

The Jamaican sprinter had a minor setback during the early parts of his preparations, but is now back to full strength, and the world record holder has penciled in a time of 9.91 seconds for his season debut.

“Last time around I was just getting back from injury, this time, I am in much better shape,” Bolt said on Friday.

“I am training good, everything is smooth and I am excited to compete tomorrow,” he added.

The six-time Olympic champion revealed that he’s excited about getting back to competing, but admits that he’s feeling a little nervous about the first race of the term.

“I’m excited as always, a little bit nervous, as always in my first race, but as I said, I’m in much better shape,” he said.

“I am happy with where I am, my coach is happy also, so it’s just to go out there and execute now and take it race by race leading up to the Olympics.”

Asked about the time he’s predicting for Saturday, Bolt said: “I don’t know what to expect. Most of my friends have bet on how fast I am going to run.”

He continued: “I have 9.91, so we will see how that goes, the fastest time is 9.86, so we will see how it works out tomorrow.”

Should Bolt stop the clock at 9.91, he would equal the current world-leading time of Femi Ogunode of Qatar, and the big man plans to go out hard to test his fitness.

“I am going out there to run hard,” he said. “I need to see where I’m in the season, what I need to work on. It’s all about execution, and just push myself to see what I need to do, and what I need to work on.”

The 29-year-old will take on fellow countryman and training partner Kemar Bailey-Cole, Kemar Hyman of the Cayman Islands, as well as St. Kitts and Nevis’ Jason Rodgers and Jamaica’s Jason Young, and Bolt said he will be mindful of all his competitors.

“I really don’t fear people,” the sprint legend said. “I can’t say I fear people. I respect every athlete the same, as long as you are in the lane beside me, I show the utmost respect.”

Meanwhile, Bolt was quick to quash suggestions about him planning to retire at the end of the season, but admits that this summer’s Games in Brazil will be his last Olympics.

For more on this story go to: http://www.trackalerts.com/Articles/bolt-im-in-good-shape-ready-for-cayman-invitational/15381/