English
Without a doubt the main star at the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme on Friday is Usain Bolt. The Jamaican sprint sensation aims to run a world year best at the 100m in the King Baudouin stadium.
In fact, the 100 metres was added to the program at the specific request of Bolt. So far the fastest time of the year is still by his fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell (9.78). It was a tired but cheery Bolt who addressed the press on Wednesday in the athletes’ hotel in Brussels. On Tuesday he had participated in the World Challenge meeting in the Zagreb, Croatia, and he arrived in Brussels on Wednesday morning . Yet the Jamaican is ready for Friday.
"I’m really looking forward to this", he said. "I really want this world year best and I feel good. I think I have it in me to run the fastest time of the year. The track in Brussels is simply excellent ", the triple Olympic champion of Beijing said. It is Bolt’s fourth participation in the Memorial.
"It is always nice to be at the Memorial. There is always a great atmosphere and the fans are brilliant, and loud. That gives me a great deal of energy," Lightning Bolt explained. On Tuesday he ran 9.85 in Zagreb, his fastest time in the 100m this season. "Still, I am not entirely happy about that race. I did not feel good at the start, and for a few seconds lost my focus too. Luckily I was able to regain my senses", Bolt said.
Recently the Jamaican won two gold medals at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, in the 200m and 4x100m. He missed out on his final in the 100 m race, after a false start. "Whether I’m more nervous at the start now? Not really, but it does linger on in my mind a bit," he admitted. "As a professional, I have to learn to deal with such matters," said the 100m world record holder (9.58), who is still convinced he can run faster. "There’s always room for improvement. For example, the first 30 to 40 metres in the 100m race", he said. ‘By continuing to work hard, I think that I can ran faster still’.
After a long and strenuous season quite some athletes will not take part in the Memorial on Friday, but Bolt said Wednesday to not be exhausted quite yet. "Mentally I’m not tired yet. Had everything gone well at the Worlds, I might have been more relaxed, but right now I want to dig in deep one more time. I do hope I can conclude this season in a beautiful manner, so that I can start next season with a good feeling. "