Megabucks for Bolt

CMC

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

MONTE-CARLO, Monaco (CMC) - Jamaica's phenomenal Worldand Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt is set to enjoy a whoppingUS$500,000 payday for competing in the 100 metres in South Korea laterthis month.

Bolt is expected to tackle the shorter sprint on September 25 at the Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting.

Moon Dong-hoo, vice-president of the organising committeefor the 2011 Daegu IAAF World Championships in Athletics, said Boltconfirmed that he will race in Daegu and the details are now beingworked out for his 100-metre appearance.

In Berlin, Bolt shattered his own world record by 0.11 seconds with a time of 9.58 seconds.

The Daegu organising committee did not disclose hispayment, but media reports suggest Bolt is likely to receive US$500,000for the race.

The Daegu Meeting is expected to attract 200 athletes from 30 nations competing in 16 track and field events.
Meanwhile, Bolt has confirmed that he will also be racing at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Greece this month.

Bolt, who brilliantly won the sprint double - both inworld record times - at the IAAF World Championship in Germany lastmonth, is set to run the 200 metres at the September 12-13 World ofAthletics Final in Thessaloniki.

Organisers of the IAAF World Athletics Final confirmedMonday that the sprint giant will race in the half-lap sprint on thesecond day of the final on Sunday, September 13.

Bolt has contested only three 200-metre events so farthis year including his Berlin World Championship run last month in anastounding 19.19 seconds, erasing his own world mark of 19.30 he postedin his Olympic victory in Beijing a year earlier.

Bolt last competed in the World Athletics Final in 2006 when he came third in 20.10 seconds in Stuttgart, Germany.

Already being labelled the greatest sprinter of all time,the 23-year-old Bolt is expected to compete in Shanghai after the WorldAthletics Final before travelling to Daegu.

In the meantime, the projected clash between Bolt and theAmerican Tyson Gay at the Brussels Golden League Meeting on Friday willno longer happen.

Bolt has decided to run the 200 metres and Gay is booked for the 100 metres at the last Golden League meet of the season.