Bolt - One last race on Jamaican soil

By Kayon Raynor

With wildcard entries to the 100m and 200m at next summer's IAAF World Championships in London, double sprint world record holder Usain Bolt on Friday confirmed that next year’s Racers Grand Prix will be his last competitive race on Jamaican soil.

The sprint legend made the disclosure on Television Jamaica’s ‘Smile Jamaica’ morning magazine programme.

“The Racers Grand Prix will be my last race in Jamaica people, it will be the last time I run in Jamaica,” Bolt said.

Bolt, who is set to return to training the first Monday in November, also closed the door on the suggestion he made a few weeks ago that he competes after 2017.

“Yes I am definitely going to retire after the World Championships in London, that will be my last one,” Bolt told presenters Neville Bell and Sakina Deer.

The nine-time Olympic gold medallist however said he and his team are yet to decide on which event he will be running then.

Bolt along with the other members of Jamaica’s team to this year’s Olympics and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be honoured this weekend by the government of Jamaica.

The government, which on Tuesday announced that the athletes will receive cash incentives with a high of US$10,000 for individual gold medallists, also revealed that statues have been comissioned in the likeness of Bolt, Asafa Powell, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown.

Bolt, will take part in the second staging of the Jamaica National Foundation Heroes in Action 8k run/walk and 4k fun run in his home town,Falmouth on Sunday.

The event is being endorsed by his Usain Bolt Foundation and will support several charities in the Parish of Trelawny including the Granville Place of Safety for Girls.

Meanwhile, Bolt who dismissed erroneous reports that he had donated $10 million to Haiti in the aftermath of the Hurricane Matthew, did reveal he is assisting the neighbouring country.

"On seeing the devastating images caused by Hurricane Matthew, especially of the children, I was moved to assist and will encourage others to do so," Bolt told RJR Sports.