Kingston (Jamaica): Officials here say they are unable to confirm at this time if two of the country's most celebrated athletes - Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake - would be available for the Jamaica invitational scheduled for May 4. Bolt and Blake have confirmed their participation in overseas events close to the date of the Jamaica invitational, triggering speculation that they could miss the meet, reports CMC.
The event, now an IAAF World Challenge classified meet, has grown in stature, attracting some of the biggest names in international track and field.
"Well, we don't know yet," said Glen Mills, who coaches Bolt and Blake. We have agreed to run at these meets (internationally) but the details on when they (athletes) have to get there and so forth have not been sorted out.
Bolt, who won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games, will be making his first competitive appearance in the Cayman Islands at the May 8 Cayman Invitational, less than a week after the Jamaica Invitational.
Blake, the world champion over 100m and Olympic 4x100m relay champion and silver medallist in the 100m and 200m, is lined up for the Samsung Diamond League meet in Doha, May 10.
"We have agreed to be there but we haven't finalised the travel arrangements and so on so for them, so it's a bit too early to say," Mills explained. I don't even think the May meet (Jamaica Invitational) organisers have started talking to athletes as yet. There is still some way to go, so we will just have to wait and see."
The Jamaica invitational, created in 2004, is organised by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association.
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