Auckland: Olympic 100 and 200 metres champion Usain Bolt says his goal of lowering the 100-metre mark below 9.4 seconds still stands and hints at a possibility of it happening next season.
Bolt made his declaration on Monday as he ended a whistle-stop promotional tour, which has seen the world’s fastest man on New Zealand soil for less than 24 hours.
The 100m and 200m world record holder has previously predicted lowering the 100m mark below 9.4s – 0.19 of a second below his current benchmark.
“There’s a possibility for 9.4s, there’s a definite possibility. I think this season won’t be so stressful, I can relax a little bit more, focus a little bit more,” said the six-time Olympic gold medallist.
“It will be much easier without the pressure on your shoulders. I’m just going to continue working hard and pushing myself.”
Meanwhile, the Jamaican athlete has told a news conference in Auckland that cricket is his “first love”.
With the West Indies defeating Sri Lanka to win the T20 World Cup hours before Bolt touched down, the Jamaican acknowledged the career which might have been his.
“I love cricket, it was my first love but I don’t play much now. The only time I play now is with my brother,” Bolt said.
“If I wasn’t in athletics I would probably have a career somewhere else in sport.”
Having dominated the world sprint circuit for the last two Olympic cycles, the Bolt ‘pointing’ pose and flamboyant pre-race behaviour have become internationally-recognised trademarks.
But Bolt insists he’s not cocky.
“People always say I’m cocky. The pose just happened, there was a dance and I put a swing on it. I continue doing it for the fans because they’re the ones who make us who we are,” said Bolt.
“The gimmicks that I do are just to make me relax. When I get to the line it makes me relax and not worry. If you worry you tense up.”
Tuesday brought news that Bolt and Mo Farah are among the Olympic track and field stars nominated for the World Athlete of the Year award.
The sport’s governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), announced 10 nominees for each of the men’s and women’s categories.
All the nominees have won at least one gold medal at the recently held London Olympics.
In addition to 100m and 200-metre winner Bolt and endurance champion Farah, the men’s list includes David Rudisha, who shattered the 800-metre world record in the final.
If Bolt wins, it would be the fourth time he has won the award in five years while Rudisha could regain the title he won in 2010.
American runner Allyson Felix takes her place among the nominees for the women’s award after becoming the first female track athlete to win three gold medals at an Olympics since 1988. (IANS)
