Ostrava Golden Spike 50th Anniversary

Bolt Takes 100m, World’s Most Marketable Sprinter?

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt won the 100-meters at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet on Tuesday posting a time of 9.91. The Jamaican world record holder, who ran the same time last Thursday at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in his season debut, held off countryman Steve Mullings, who was second in 9.97.

Ricky Simms has represented Bolt since he began his professional athletic career in 2003 and says his popularity can only grow heading toward and likely after next summer’s London Olympics

"He’s got charisma in addition to his performances on the track," said Simms after the meet in Ostrava. "He has an ability to woo the fans off the track. Rome last week was crazy. He took it to a different level and here at a much smaller meet he got a great reception also."

Bolt currently has a long-term sponsorship deal with European clothing manufacturer Puma which runs until the end of 2013 and is reportedly the most lucrative endorsement ever for a track and field athlete estimated at more than 30 million dollars. His other sponsors include Gatorade, Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot and Caribbean mobile company Digicel.

"Sport Business selected him as the most marketable athlete ahead of the Olympics next year," said Simms. "He’s in a good place right now. He just needs to keep performing; win in Daegu this year and defend his Olympic titles and I think he’ll be in a similar position."

The performance of the evening came from five-time Olympic medalist, Veronica Campbell-Brown, who sped to victory in the ladies’ 100-meters, clocking a world leading time of 10.76. It was a personal best for the 33-year-old Jamaican sprinter and also the eighth best result of all-time.

IOC Vice President Bach Attends Meet; Diack and Bubka Cancel Visit

Among the dignitaries in attendance at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet was International Olympic Committee Vice President and Munich 2018 bid Leader Thomas Bach.

Also scheduled to attend the event were IAAF President Lamine Diack and IOC Executive Board member Sergei Bubka. Both canceled their visits to the Czech Republic last week due to conflicting commitments.

"Mr. Diack called our meet director, Jan Zelezny, as they are IOC friends and board members," said Golden Spike meet manager, Alphons Juck.

"He apologized because there was also a world challenge meeting in Dakar and he was forced to stay home and attend. He sent a very nice letter apologizing and recognizing the work we do for Athletics in Ostrava."

Diack has served as President of the IAAF since 1999. His current four-year term expires this year, but the 76-year-old from Senegal said last Thursday that he will stand unopposed for re-election when the IAAF Congress meets in Daegu, South Korea, site of the world championships, on August 24.

Bubka, the former Olympic pole vault champion and currentPresident of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee also canceled his visit due to an appointment with the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

Diamond League Caliber?

Three-time Olympic javelin gold medalist and IOC board member, Jan Zelezny is in his fourth year as Ostrava Meet Director. The meet, which is part of the IAAF World Challenge series, celebrated its 50th anniversary on Tuesday evening.

Despite taking place in the Czech Republic’s third largest city, which only has a population of just over 300,000, the event has routinely attracted elite names in the sport including Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Asafa Powell, Hicham El Guerrouj, Maurice Greene, Donovan Bailey and Bubka.

The historic meet offers a purse of $200,000, in addition to paying appearance fees to top names, and operates on a budget of 1.5 million dollars. Among the higher profile 14-event Samsung Diamond League series, only meets in Oslo and Zurich have been contested longer than Ostrava

"We have declared that we are interested in joining the Diamond League," said Juck. "I think together with Hengelo, because of our economic situations, we are the only other IAAF World Challenge meets who wants to be there. Of course, the contract is for three years and if something opens up we are ready to join. But I will say that we are not suffering, by not being part of Diamond League concerning the availability of athletes."

Tuesday’s meet was televised live in primetime on Eurosport.

The Diamond League series continues in June with events in Eugene, Oregon; Oslo, Norway; New York, New York and Lausanne, Switzerland.

Pistorius Olympic Quest

In his ongoing quest to become the first disabled athlete to qualify for and compete at an Olympic games, double amputee Oscar Pistorius finished sixth in the 400-meters, running 46.19 while competing against a strong field of able-bodied athletes.

Pistorius, 24, who needs to achieve the ‘A’ qualifying standard of 45.25 to secure his place at this season’s world championships in Daegu and next summer’s London Olympics, ran his personal best of 45.61 on March 19 at home in South Africa.

"After running that 45.6 this year, I’m disappointed with tonight, but its just one of those things that I have to work harder" said Pistorius after the race. "I thought I’d be a bit ballsy tonight and go out hard, but I kind of suffered at the end."

The South African runner will continue to pursue the Olympic qualifying time at upcoming Diamond League meets in Eugene and New York, before returning to Europe later this month.

Homepage photo from Getty Images.

Written By Brian Pinelli in Ostrava.