Bolt's Racers v Powell's MVP in 4 x 100m Showdown

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8451266

Bolt launches 2012 season at Kingston meet

ninemsn.com
Sat Apr 14 2012

Reigning Olympic double sprint champion Usain Bolt will launch his 2012 season at the University of Technology Classics at the Jamaican National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday.

Bolt will run the 4x100 on a powerful Racers team that will face rival MVP with both at full strength.

World 100 and 200-metre record-holder Bolt was announced at two meets earlier this season but withdrew for unknown reasons.

Glen Mills, Bolt's coach, confirmed to AFP that the sprint star will finally open his run-up to the London Olympics this weekend.

"Yes, he will be running. He will only run the 4x100m relay," Mills said.

The 4x100m relay has been dubbed the biggest clash so far this season for Jamaica, which hopes for another triumphant Olympic sprint effort against the best of the United States as it enjoyed in Beijing four years ago.

Kimmari Roach is expected to lead off to reigning world 100m champion Yohan Blake with Mario Forsythe third and Usain Bolt as anchor for Racers. All except Roach have run under 10 seconds at the distance.

Former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell is expected to lead off for MVP and hand to Michael Frater on the backstretch with Nesta Carter on the curve and maybe Britain's Dwain Chambers on anchor.

Blake will also run the 100m while Powell will start in the men's 200m.

Several other of Jamaica's high profile names will run including Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Kaliese Spencer and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Melanie Walker.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1642579/Bolt-makes-triumphant-start-to-season

Bolt makes triumphant start to season

Source: AAP
sbs.com.au
15 Apr 2012

Usain Bolt ran a strong relay leg in a club meet in Jamaica to get his athletics season underway in excellent fashion.

Double sprint world record-holder Usain Bolt made a triumphant start to his 2012 season under rainy conditions on Saturday, joking the weather would prepare him for the 2012 London Olympics.

At the UTech Classic in Kingston, Bolt anchored the Racers' 4x100 relay to victory in a season's world-best 37.82 seconds, defeating an MVP club relay with Asafa Powell and Britain's Dwayne Chambers that ran in 38.27 seconds.

"I am always a bit nervous before my first race but I got through it OK and that's good," Bolt said. "I'm always wondering if I'm still fast, even if I'm doing well in training, so it is always good to come out here and run."

Bolt's relay teammates were reigning world 100-metre champion Yohan Blake, Mario Forsythe and Kimmari Roach.

Bolt said he wanted to run the 200 metres on Friday but poor weather forced him not to compete.

Saying the rain did not affect his performance, Bolt said he knows he might face similar weather during pre-Olympic events in Europe this season.

"This is what we are accustomed to in Europe and I went out there and executed," Bolt said.

Bolt brushed off health worries, saying he was fit "though not as smooth as I want" and downplayed anxiety over the late start to the season, saying it was coach Glen Mills' decision about when he would run.

"It's all about the coach,' Bolt said. "He decides when and where I run. It's always up to him."