Usain Bolt out for 2010
So the fastest man in the world has been told to slow down. King of speed Usain Bolt is set to miss the rest of the 2010 season with injury.
Gold medallist Bolt has sustained damage to his lower back, although nothing serious doctors have warned him that continued competition could lead to calf and hamstring injuries and so Bolt has curtailed his year. This set-back comes after of his recovery from a sore Achilles tendon in July and should keep him out of action until the start of the 2011 season.
The Jamaican speed machine was last on the track on Friday in the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm. He looked well off form as rival Tyson g*y romped home for victory with a time of 9.84 seconds, some 0.13 seconds quicker than the Jamaican who wasn’t on his normal game.
It was clear that Bolt wasn’t at full strength. He was slow out the blocks and couldn’t find that turn of pace to close the gap between him and g*y. In the end it was a comfortable win for the 28-year old who admitted he beat a below-par Bolt. g*y said of his victory: “It feels great to beat Usain but deep down inside I know he is not one hundred per cent. I look forward to beating him when he is one hundred per cent.
"Usain knows what his limitations are. His goal this year was to go undefeated, not set world records. He has plenty left in the tank. “
This was only Bolt’s second defeat in a final over 100 metres in his pro career and the 9.58-second record holder was far from happy with his performance, saying after the race: “You can get beat any day. You have good days and bad days.
"I still need to work on my strength. The first 10 metres was rubbish. I had no power, no nothing. I have tried to work on it but it didn't work out.
"I was ready but the two stand-ups annoyed me. But Tyson was in better shape than me and was better prepared."
This is a massive blow for athletics fans. The big three of Bolt, g*y and Asafa Powell were supposed to line up in Stockholm, but Powell had to pull out with a back and hamstring injury. In the end g*y was the only fully fit competitor and disappointingly scored a victory without challenge, although he clocked a very decent time.
Bolt’s absence will lead to other sprinters coming to the forefront and will be a good chance for young Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre, who enjoyed success in the European championships recently, to stake a claim as the new contender.
As for Bolt, sprinting will miss its biggest superstar, but he’ll be back next year – going full speed ahead.
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