Usain Bolt of Jamaica wins his 200m heat at the 2003 World Youth Championships (© Getty Images)
17 yearold Jamaican sprint sensation Usain Bolt will make his first ever European career outing when he competes at the 200m at IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting 'Golden Spike' in Ostrava, Czech Republic on 8 June.
Bolt is the undoubtably one of the hottest talents in Athletics and holds the best times in history for U15 (20.58), U16 (20.13), and more recently skimmed to the World Junior 200m record of 19.93 in April at the Carifta Games in Bermuda.
With this time he leads the current senior world lists for the year and is the first runner with a sub 20 seconds time since 2002, and yet he still will be junior in 2005!
“I'm really looking forward to doing my first race on the European circuit. I'm very pleased with the way I have started my Olympic season running 19.93 and setting a new World junior record. I hope to perform very well in Ostrava,” confirmed Bolt.
His provisional plan for 2004 consists of one more race in Europe after Ostrava, the TDK Golden League in Bergen, Norway (11 June), then he will go to the Jamaican trials, World Juniors and the Olympics.
Tough opposition
To make life tougher for the youngster four strong opponents with bests of under 20 seconds will also be competing in Ostrava - Gatlin, Crawford and Fredericks.
Shawn Crawford (USA, 26 years, 19.85) showed excellent shape last week in Doha in winning the 100m with windy 9.86. He was 2001 World Indoor Champion and a bronze medal winner at World Championships 2001 in Edmonton at 200m.
His countryman Justin Gatlin also has shown great potential already this season, running 20.21 in the spring in USA and was second in Doha with 9.92. His personal 200m best of 19.86 (2002) is also impressive and he was World Indoor 60m champion in 2003.
But the biggest collection of 200m honours is owned by the 36 year-old Frankie Fredericks (19.68) from Namibia. The World champion of 1993 and silver medal winner at two Olympic Games (1992, 1996), and two World championships (1995, 1997). He started this season with solid 20.58 in Namibia.
“This was a special race at my own meeting the ‘Frank Fredericks Invitational’. I wanted to help young runners to achieve good times so I ran the first 100m with them and then at my own speed for the second half. So considering this, the time was not bad. I do not know whether it will be my last season, but for sure it will be my last Olympics. I want to run few high quality 200m races and also some 100m races in the small meets to be ready for Athens,” explained Fredericks.
With these runners the Czech all-comers record 20.16 held by Pietro Mennea (Italy) while winning the European Championships in 1978 will be under threat.