OSTRAVA, Czech Republic: Usain Bolt will try to improve his season best in the 100 meters on Friday in his first race on the European continent before the London Olympics.
The Jamaican sprinter, who won three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, clocked 9.82 on May 5 in Kingston, Jamaica.
“I would definitely like to run faster ... probably 9.7 would be good for me,” Bolt said yesterday after he arrived for the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Bolt also will compete in Diamond League meets in Rome on May 31 and Oslo, Norway, on June 7 before returning to Jamaica for the national trials. He plans to return to Europe for the 200 meters at the Diamond League meet in Monaco on July 20, his last race before the London Olympics.
Bolt swept the 100 and 200 at the 2008 Beijing Games and helped Jamaica to gold in the 4x100 relay.
“I definitely want to improve on my last Olympic Games, run faster, win more golds,” Bolt said.
Bolt is the world-record holder at both the 100 and 200.
“Hopefully, I can break those records at the Olympic Games,” Bolt said. “It would be a wonderful feat.”
Recovering Vlasic uncertain for Olympics
Meantime, Croatia's double world high jump champion Blanka Vlasic said yesterday that her participation at the 2012 Olympics was uncertain due to complications following surgery on her left foot.
"Both, this season and my appearance at the Olympic Games are questionable. Unfortunately, I have to be realistic," Vlasic told journalists.
"I will not give up London, but I will not take any risk either.
"I know my body very well and when the time to leave for the Games comes I will know whether I'm ready," the 28-year-old added at a press conference in her hometown of Split, on the central Adriatic coast.
Vlasic underwent arthroscopic surgery on an Achilles tendon in January in Sweden and gradually started to train again.
However, due to constant pain she had to undergo another minor surgery at home in April to remove a small piece of bone left behind during the first operation. But she caught a bacteria that caused on infection putting into question her further recovery and competition at the Games which start on July 27.
Vlasic is the double world indoor champion and reigning Olympic silver medallist.
She won the silver medal at the world athletics championships in September with an effort of 2.03 meters on her second jump.
Bolt to aim for 9.7 in 100 meters at Golden Spike
