RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, CMC- Olympic 100 and 200 metres champion, Usain Bolt, appears to be having second thoughts about competing in long jump events as he had earlier suggested.
Bolt, currently on a short trip to Brazil, said he does not want to risk a serious injury that could keep him from defending his sprint titles at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“The plan is (to compete in the) long jump maybe before the Olympics, but I have talked to my coach a little bit and he’s shown some concern about the fact that long jump can bring some problems to the knee,” Bolt told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro.
“We will sit down and evaluate if we want to do it”.
Bolt, who became the first man to successfully defend the 100- and 200-metre titles at the London Olympics, has been going back and forth about whether he will try competing in either the long jump or the 400 in Rio.
Earlier this month, Bolt said his aim was to go for a three-peat of his Olympic sprint titles in Rio, but a couple of days later he said the long jump and the 400 were not out of the question.
“Because if I do it, I may jeopardise my opportunity to come to Rio, so I may not do long jump” said the 26-year-old who holds the world record in the 100 and 200.
“It concerns me. We will look over and see if it is possible.”
Bolt began his two-day trip by visiting the Christ the Redeemer statue, then took a helicopter tour over Copacabana Beach, Sugar Loaf mountain and Maracana Stadium, which is being renovated for next year’s Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup.
“Construction in full Usain Bolt speed ahead of World Cup football” he said on his Twitter account and also posted a photo of the stadium.
Bolt also visited a local athletics facility met with young Brazilian athletes and received Rio’s key of the city from Mayor Eduardo Paes.
