Bolt to skip Ostrava meet

Ostrava (Czech Republic), June 24 (IANS/CMC)

Usain Bolt

World record holder and Olympic 100m champion Usain Bolt and his Racers Track Club will not compete in the 52nd Ostrava Golden Spike, an IAAF World Challenge, here Thursday.

Bolt and his teammates were scheduled to compete in the 4x100m relay at the Vitkovice City Stadium but the entire team has withdrawn, reports CMC.

“I want to apologise to my fans in Ostrava, this year I will not be coming to the Golden Spike meeting. Instead, I will stay in Jamaica with my coach for an extra week to focus on training before coming to Europe,” said a statement from the Olympic champion.

“I can assure you I will try my best to be back in 2014 (53rd edition) in an individual event. Thank you for your usual great support.”

Bolt, a regular to the Czech meet and who participated in IAAF World Challenge in 2006 and every year since 2008, was to compete there for the seventh time with his fellow Racers’ teammates.

However, a host of track and field stars are listed to compete, including world and Olympic 400m champion Kirani James of Grenada and former world 100m champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis.