Usain Bolt Out For Jamaican Invitational Due To Injury [Video]

Olympic champion Usain Bolt is out for the Jamaican International Invitational due to a hamstring strain as he’s decided he won’t run in Saturday’s 200 meters. The record-breaking sprinter withdrew on Tuesday after experiencing tightness during training a week ago.

Bolt decided against the race, along with coach Glen Mills, to keep from risking further injury this early in the season. The 26-year-old won gold in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics but is off to slow start in 2013.

He finished third in his first race of the season; a 400-meter event at the Camperdown Classic. The event was held in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica and he lost to one of his training partners in Warren Weir.

The following month, Bolt rebounded with a first-place finish in the 150-meter race at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda had a chance against Bolt until the final few meters and held on for a second place finish over Bruno de Barros of Brazil.

Bolt finished with a time of 14.42 seconds, just seven seconds off the world record, which he set in 2009. After winning, the Jamaican star finished his day with a celebratory dance, much to the liking of the crowd who will next see Bolt at the 2016 Olympics.

Here’s video of the race as Bolt pulled away from the other sprinters near the finish, though his dance moves aren’t featured:

Bolt plans on racing May 8th in the Cayman Invitational after withdrawing from this weekend’s races due to the hamstring injury. With Usain Bolt out, Warren Weir and Nesta Carter will have the spotlight as they compete at the Jamaican Invitational.

Bolt’s a five-time world champion and missing events isn’t how he got there. The world’s fastest sprinter had no plans of missing the races this weekend and is upset he can’t compete after the hamstring setback.

“I am disappointed to miss the Kingston meet as I love running in front of my home crowd in Jamaica,” Bolt said in a statement on his personal website. “I’m told it is only a Grade 1 strain so hopefully I will be OK soon.”

Regarded as the best athlete ever, Bolt’s career is as close to perfection as it gets. With too many world records to count and six gold medals at the Olympics, he hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down though the early season injury could change the pace a bit.

Will he recover from his slight hamstring strain and go on to have another successful year? Will the Jamaican International Invitational be competitive with Usain Bolt out?

[Image via Nick Webb]