KINGSTON: Usain Bolt is no longer listed to run the 100 metres at Jamaica’s national senior trials on Thursday, sparking concerns about his fitness ahead of defending his sprint titles at this year’s world championships in Beijing.

The 100m and 200m world record holder has struggled for form this year with modest best times of 10.12 seconds in Brazil and 20.13 in Ostrava.

The 10-times world championship medallist, who expressed concerns after a pedestrian 20.29 to win the 200m at the recent New York Diamond League meeting, had intended to run at the Jamaican trials as he seeks race sharpness.

But Bolt’s name was missing from a list of athletes for the 100m released by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) late on Wednesday.

The 100m gets underway at 1000 local time on Thursday with a qualifying round. The quarter-finals are scheduled for 1855.

Bolt had been entered along with Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter in the preliminary list published by the JAAA on Sunday.

The six-times Olympic gold medallist has wildcard entries for the 100m and 200m at the world championships in Beijing from Aug. 22-30 as defending champion.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2015

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