Dominating 200m victory in London for Usain Bolt in 2008 (© Getty Images)
Triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt will run in the 4x100m relay as well as the individual 100m at the Aviva London Grand Prix.
The Aviva London Grand Prix is a Super Grand Prix status meeting as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2009.
Bolt who was part of the scintillating Jamaican 4x100m relay team that smashed the world record in Beijing will run in his first ever relay in the UK. This great news for all British athletics fans now means Bolt will run over the two days of the Crystal Palace meet, 24 & 25 July.
The Jamaican team will be made up of athletes from the Racers Track Club all of which are world class, sub ten second athletes from Glenn Mills (Bolt’s coach) training group.
Bolt emphasised the significance of the Aviva London Grand Prix as a key element to his build up to the Berlin World Championships in August saying:
“The Aviva London Grand Prix is an important part of my preparation for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin. To be racing at Crystal Palace in two different events over the two days will be the ideal tune up for me ahead of Berlin.”
“My performance at last weekend’s Jamaican National Championships, where I won the sprint double and ran a world leading time in the 100m, was very pleasing so I hope I can take that form into both events in London.”
“Coach Mills has assembled a strong ‘Racers Track Club’ Jamaican team for the 4x100m relay in the Aviva London Grand Prix. We already hold the fastest time in the world this year and hope to go faster in Crystal Palace.”
Traditionally the relay event at the Aviva London Grand Prix has been contested as serious dress rehearsal for many of the world’s leading teams ahead of upcoming major championships.
Last year the USA team ran the fastest ever 100m relay on British shores in a time of 37.80 seconds.
Lachlan MacKinnon (organisers) for the IAAF