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Bolt: “I want dominate on the world stage in the next four years”

Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt talked in front of media representatives at the press-conference of the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea on 6th June at the famous Rome Olympic Stadium, the fifth leg of the IAAF Diamond League. Bolt will start his Diamond League season in Rome where he won the last two editions in 2011 in 9.91 and in 2012 in the meeting record of 9.76.

He will face Olympic bronze medallist Gatlin who won two legs of the Diamond League this year in Doha in 9.97 and in Eugene in a wind assisted 9.88 and clocked a seasonal best of 9.91 in Bejing  The race will also feature former 100m World champion Kim Collins and 2010 World indoor silver medallist Michael Rodgers, who finished second in Eugene in a windy 9.94 and clocked a legal 9.96 this year.  The Golden Gala will be dedicated to the memory of Pietro Mennea, the Italian sprint legend who met Bolt two years ago during a kids clinic on the eve of the Golden Gala. The “Lightning” Bolt from Trelawny will be looking to take his third Rome win in a row to honour the memory of the Italian sprinter nicknamed the “Southern Arrow” who won the 200m European title in this stadium in 1974 and two editions of the Golden Gala in 1980 and 1983.  Two days before his much-awaited 100 m race talked about his plans for the season and his expectations for next Thursday’s race showing his familiar relaxed mood ahead of his first European race of the year.

Do you remember your first ever win?
“ When I won my first race, athletics was just a joy. It’s still a joy but when I started it was pure enjoyment”

What do you expect from Thursday race?
“I feel great. Everything is perfect. I am looking forward to running in Rome. In the last weeks I worked on speed and endurance".

Have you changed your training from last year ?
“So far we are working on both speed and endurance. During the season I  will decide with my coach on what aspect we will work, whether we will focus on either speed or endurance. It depends on how the season goes.”
 

You ran 10.09 at the Cayman Islands in your first 100m race at the beginning of May. What went wrong in George Town ?
“I did not have a good race there but I worked with my coach on the aspects which went wrong. I am not worried about it because it will be a long season”

Some athletes are suffering from some injury problems in the post-Olympic season. How do you feel now ?
“In the Olympic year every athlete push harder and it’s normal that some athletes get injuries. We have worked on preventing injuries and I am now in good shape.”

The Rome meeting is dedicated to late Italian sprint legend Pietro Mennea, the Italian sprint legend,who won the 200m Olympic title in Moscow 1980 and held the 200m world record which withstood all assaults for 17 years before Michael Johnson broke it with 19.66 at the 1996 Olympic Trials. You met Mennea two years ago on the eve of the Rome meeting. What is your memory of Mennea ?
“I am proud to compete in this meeting.. Great athletes like Mennea made their country proud. I hope that my fellow Jamaicans will honour me when I retire from sport in the same way Italy honours Mennea.”

Do you think that humility is a good value in sport ?
“It is a great value to be humble. Everything is possible with hard work. I grew up according to these principles.  It’s important that athletes promote these values.”

You will run against Justin Gatlin in Rome. He started the season very well with wins in Doha and Eugene. What do you think about his results ?
“Gatlin is in good shape but I am not worried about that. For me it’s all about championships. I am just focusing on myself”.
You won everything an athlete can dream of. Do you still have dreams?
“I have accomplished all my dreams but I still have goals to achieve. I want to continue to dominate on the world stage in the next four years with hard work but I also want to continue enjoying my sport”

Are there new Jamaican sprinters coming out?
“There will be always new Jamaican talented sprinters coming out. I saw at the Youth Championships in my country that there are young guys who are running fast but I still beat them !”

You are a big fan of Manchester United football clu. What was your reaction when you heard the news that Sir Alex Ferguson retired as a manager after 27 years?
“It was a stressful day when I heard the news that he was going to retire. He is a great man. We are good friends. I don’t know if the new manager will be able to achieve the same results”. 

The VIDEO of the press conference with Usain Bolt is available on the following link: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10k1b0_bolt-vod_sport#.Ua3TPEA0zzw

Tickets – The tickets to attend the 2013 edition of the Golden Gala are available in allTicketone shops and online on www.ticketone.it. Ticketone is ticketing partner of the 2013 Golden Gala (in the sport section or seeking Golden Gala on the search engine on the Ticketone website. Ticket prices are as follows (pre-sell fee not included: Monte Mario Main Stand (100 m starting-line) 40 Euros, Tribuna Tevere 20 Euros, Distinti Arrivi 15 Euros; Curve and Distinti 5 Euros.

The Golden Gala pass – This year all athletics fans will have the chance to attend the Golden Gala moving around the different sections of the Stadium using a special Golden Gala Pass. The Golden Gala pass can be bought at only 30 Euros on Ticketone and will give the access to the following reserved seats: Curva Sud Sector 19, Distinti Sud Est sector 22, Tribuna Tevere sector 40, Distinti Nord Est sector 45, Curva Nord sector 48, Distinti Nord Ovest sector 51.

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