MIAMI, (Reuters) – Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica has dropped out of a race this weekend after suffering minor injuries in a car crash on the outskirts of his Caribbean homeland’s capital, his agent said yesterday.
Bolt, who won the men’s 100- and 200-meter competitions in record times at the Beijing Olympic Games in August, was taken to a hospital after he crashed his BMW sports car into a ditch on Wednesday. He was treated and released.
“We are pleased to report that Usain Bolt is fine after his car accident in Kingston yesterday afternoon,” agent Ricky Simms said in a written statement.
Bolt hurt his left foot when he stepped on some thorns getting out of the car and will not run in the Jamaica International Invitational on Saturday as a “precaution,” Simms said.
“We will continue to monitor his progress over the next few days,” he said.
Simms said it was too early to say if the accident would have any impact on Bolt’s training or racing in the coming weeks. He was scheduled to run at the Manchester City Games on May 17.
