Bolt Promises Special Jamaica Performance Ahead Of Rio

Six-time Olympic champion, Jamaican-born Usain St. Leo Bolt.

By NAN Contributor

News Americas, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Fri. Mar. 11, 2016: Six-time Olympic champion, Jamaican-born Usain St. Leo Bolt, this week promised a special performance on his home turf this June ahead of the Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

Bolt was on hand in Jamaica on Wednesday to help announce the inaugural Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, set for June 11th at the Jamaica National Stadium. Asafa Powell and 2012 Olympic sprint medalists Yohan Blake and Warren Weir are among other athletes expected to compete.

Bolt is counting down to Rio, which he has said may be his last Olympics.

“The fact that I’ll be competing this year, it’s a motivation to work even harder to make sure when I compete here, I will be in top form to run fast times to show the country that I’m ready to go to Rio (Olympics) and do great things,” Bolt said Wednesday.

The announcement comes as American legend Michael Johnson has described Bolt as the “greatest” sprinter in the history of track and field.

Johnson’s made the comment during a tribute to the Jamaican runner after he was shortlisted for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.

“Neither Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis nor myself have produced, in my opinion, the consistency and longevity that Usain Bolt has,” said Johnson, a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy.