NEW YORK (AP) – Usain Bolt remembers the rain, remembers the false start, and remembers his excitement at racing a big-name opponent in the 100 meters for the first time.
Just over seven years ago, the Jamaican sprinter arrived at Randall’s Island, east of upper Manhattan, as a 200 and 400 runner considered too tall for the 100. In just slightly more than a blink of an eye – 9.72 seconds, to be exact – Bolt became the sport’s biggest name.
He’s retained that title ever since.
On Saturday, Bolt returns to the stadium where he set his first world record May 31, 2008, in his first individual race in the U.S since then. Now the owner of six Olympic gold medals, he’ll run the 200 at the Adidas Grand Prix, New York’s stop on track’s elite Diamond League series.
Bolt said Friday he hopes to break 20 seconds for the first time this season, a modest goal for someone whose world record is 19.19. Saturday’s 200 does not count for Diamond League points, and no one else in the field has broken 20 seconds in 2015.