Bolt to Compete in Return to London`s Olympic Stadium

(ATR) Usain Bolt plans to race at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games in the former Olympic Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The flamboyant Jamaican sprinter confirmed his appearance for the London Diamond League meet on Friday, July 24, returning for the re-opening of the venue that was the setting of his triple Olympic gold medal performance in August 2012.

"London is a special place where I love to compete, and I am looking forward to the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games on July 24," Bolt told British Athletics

The evening 100-meter event will be a comeback race for Bolt as he has been hampered by injury this season, having pulled out of Thursday’s Athletissima Meet in Lausanne due to a pelvic problem. The Jamaican star is also not racing at next week’s meet in Monaco.

It will be the six-time Olympic gold medalist’s first appearance in London since the 2013 Anniversary Games, having been made possible by the British government making overseas competitors at the event exempt from paying income tax.

"I have great memories of competing in the Olympic Stadium in the summer of 2012 and in the previous Grand Prix meets in London," Bolt said.

Fans will also have the chance to relive memories of August 2012 as the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games boast top names from previous Olympics and Paralympics over a three-day program of athletics.

"The British fans are always great, and I expect there will also be a lot of Jamaican fans in the stadium," said Bolt, the 100 and 200-meter world record holder. "It will be amazing to put on another great show for them under the floodlights on the Friday night."

Other elite athletes planning to compete at the re-opening of the stadium following its conversion include Great Britain’s "Super Saturday" stars Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill, world record holder and London Olympic 800-meter champion David Rudisha and more than a dozen world or Olympic champions.

British Athletics chief executive Niels de Vos spoke of the significance of the London meet with interest sure to heighten considering Bolt’s announcement.

"The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium is becoming one of the country's 'must see summer events' for sports fans around the country, up there with Wimbledon, the Open and Formula 1," said the British executive.

"The combination of the Olympic Stadium, the Park, the very best athletes in the world and the memories of that fantastic summer of 2012 make this an inspirational event."

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "The opening night of the Anniversary Games has attracted the strongest field ever assembled for a single night of athletics, providing Londoners with another 'I was there' moment.

"The chance to see a living legend like Bolt is very rare, and we are delighted to be able to welcome him to the reopening of the stadium where he so thrilled us all at the 2012 Games."

The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games includes a two-day Diamond League meeting on Friday, July 24th and Saturday the 25th, with the Sainsbury’s IPC Athletics Grand Prix Final taking place on Sunday, July 26th.

It is the 11th of 14 stops on the IAAF Diamond League calendar and comes justfour weeks before the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

The late July meet will be the final time that the original London 2012 track is used, as a new surface will be laid for future events and the London 2017 World Championships.

Gatlin Storms to 100 Meter Victory in Lausanne

Justin Gatlin outsprinted fellow American Tyson Gay and Jamaican veteran Asafa Powell to easily win the Athletissima 100 meters in 9.75 on Thursday night.

Gatlin, 33, the 2004 Athens gold medalist and London bronze medalist, ran just .01 off his world-leading season best set in Doha in May.

Powell narrowly edged Gay for second place, both clocking 9.92.

Gatlin, who served a four-year doping suspension between his Olympic medals in 2004 and 2012, has the three fastest 100-meter times this season.

Powell and Gay have also failed drugs tests in the past.

Other victors at the 40th Anniversary meet in Lausanne included double Olympic champion Mo Farah in the 5,000 meters, Allyson Felix in the 200 meters and fellow American Christian Taylor, who set a meet record in the triple jump.

London 2012 Olympic champion David Rudisha was outpaced down the homestretch as Nigel Amos of Botswana defeated him in the 800 meters.

Pole vault world record holder Renaud Lavillenie faltered for the second time in six days as Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski won the event with a jump of 5.84m.

Written by Brian Pinelli

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