Usain Bolt will run his last race on home soil in Jamaica at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston on June 10 next year, before retiring from competition two months later, he has confirmed.
“Wow.. after all these years one last run in Jamaica…where it all started,” Bolt wrote on Twitter.
The 30-year-old multiple Olympic and world champion sprinter has already gone on record to say he plans to quit the sport after the International Association of Athletics Federations’ World Championships in London from August 5 to 13.
“The Racers Grand Prix will be my last race in Jamaica people, it will be the last time I run in Jamaica,” Bolt told Television Jamaica’s “Smile Jamaica” morning magazine program.
The Jamaican, who concluded his Olympic career at the Rio Games in August by securing a clean sweep of titles in the 100, 200 and 4×100 meter relay for a third successive Games, will resume training next month.
As reigning champion in both events following his victories in Beijing last summer, Bolt has wildcard entries for the 100 and 200m at next year’s World Championships.
But he remains undecided on whether he will run one or both events, saying only it will be his last competition.
“Yes I am definitely going to retire after the World Championships in London, that will be my last one,” said Bolt.
Bolt’s announcement means he will miss the Jamaican Championships as the Racers Grand Prix is scheduled earlier in the season.
Mo Farah, with whom Bolt shares a friendship and an agent in Ricky Simms, has also said he plans to end his track career at London 2017 before he moves on to road running.
Bolt and Farah will provide the Worlds with two marquee names, even though Britain’s Olympic heptathlon silver medalist Jessica Ennis-Hill will not be defending her title in the stadium where she won Olympic gold in 2012 having announced her retirement this week.
By Mike Rowbottom
Republished with permission of insidethegames.biz.