Usain Bolt Fitness Concerns Played Down

Usain Bolt’s management team have moved to play down fitness concerns surrounding the sprinting great.

The six-time Olympic gold medallist has not been at his best this season and has decided not to compete at this week’s Jamaican National Senior Championships, having been entered for the 100m on Thursday.

However, the 28-year-old’s manager Ricky Simms says Bolt had never been a definite participant at the meeting.

Simms said: "Usain was never confirmed to run at the trials, he put his name in to have the option.

"I already told the media that coach (Glen) Mills would make a decision on Wednesday if he (Bolt) needed the race or if he preferred him to train ahead of Paris and Lausanne."

As the defending champion at both events, Bolt qualifies automatically for the 100m and 200m at August's World Championship in Paris.

He is now scheduled to return to action at the Diamond League meeting in Paris a week on Saturday before racing in Lausanne five days later.

Bolt is the world record holder at 100m and 200m but has been below-par this year so far, with best times of 10.12 seconds and 20.13 secs over the two distances.