Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt announced on Sunday he was pulling out of the June 27 Golden Spike event in Ostrava in the Czech Republic, choosing instead to stay at home for training.
Jamaica's Usain Bolt finishes after Justin Gatlin during the 100-metre event on June 6, 2013 at Rome’s Golden Gala. Bolt has announced he is pulling out of the June 27 Golden Spike event in Ostrava in the Czech Republic, choosing instead to stay at home for training.
"I want to apologise to my fans in Ostrava, but this year I will not be coming to the Golden Spike meeting," Bolt said in a statement offered by the organisers.
"Instead I will stay in Jamaica with my coach for an extra week to focus on training before coming to Europe," said Bolt, who won the 100-metre title at the Jamaican championships last Friday, clocking 9.94 seconds.
In Ostrava, Bolt was originally scheduled to run the 4x100m relay together with another Jamaican star Yohan Blake who pulled out earlier.
Bolt, Blake, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter set a 4x100m relay world record time of 36.84secs at the London Olympics last year.
Countryman Asafa Powell is still listed to compete in the Ostrava relay.
The event's star list also comprises Russia's Yelena Isinbaeva (pole vault), Australia's Sally Pearson (100m hurdles), Russia's Ivan Ukhov (high jump) and New Zealand's Valerie Adams (shot put).