Bolt, Blake to open season at Kingston meet

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP) –

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates winning the men’s 100m final at the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 5, 2012. Bolt and Yohan Blake are set to open their 2013 athletics season racing in the 400 meters on Saturday at the Camperdown Classic outdoor meeting.

Jamaican sprint heroes Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake are set to open their 2013 athletics season racing in the 400 meters on Saturday at the Camperdown Classic outdoor meeting.

Bolt achieved legendary status by defending his three gold medals — in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m — at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The 100m and 200m world-record holder is among some 30 athletes from Racers Track Club, directed by trainer Glen Mills, slated to compete in the meeting, according to the club’s website.

The elite group also includes Jamaica’s Warren Weir, bronze medallist in the 200m at the London Games, along with Blake, a double silver medallist in London who last year established himself as the second-fastest man in history behind Bolt.

Blake used a 9.69sec run to win the 100m at the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne. The reigning 100m world champion opened his 2012 campaign at the Camperdown with a personal best in the 400m of 46.49.

Next Friday, Bolt is scheduled to be in Houston, Texas, to take part in a celebrity game as part of the NBA All-Star Game festivities.

The Boston Celtics fan plans to take part in an exhibition along with stars from the world of entertainment and former NBA players such as Dikembe Mutumbo and Clyde Drexler.