South Korean fans will not have a chance to watch Usain Bolt of Jamaica pantomiming an archer drawing a bow at least this year.
/ AP-Yonhap |
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt will not race in South Korea.
The Korea Athletic Federation (KAF) said Saturday that it had tried to invite the Olympic triple gold medalist to the Daegu Pre-championships Meeting next month, but the offer was turned down.
The annual event, which started in 2005 to promote Daegu's bid for the 2011 World Championships, will take place on Sept. 25 at Daegu Stadium.
Bolt, who set world records of 9.69 seconds in the 100 meters and 19.30 in the 200 at the Beijing Olympics last month, won gold with a time of 9.83 at the Zurich Golden League meet Saturday.
The 22-year-old is likely to wrap up the season after running at the Super Grand Prix in Lausanne, Switzerland Tuesday and the Golden League in Brussels, Belgium Friday.
``Bolt's side has informed us that he will not be able to compete in Daegu because of his busy schedule,'' the KAF said.
Instead of Bolt, hurdler Dayron Robles of Cuba will show off his top-tier skills in front of local fans.
The 21-year-old won a gold medal in the men's 110-meter hurdles in Beijing and holds the world record of 12.87 seconds, set at the Golden Spike Ostrava meet in June.
The athletics governing body is also negotiating with star pole-vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia.
The defending two-time Olympic champion has attended the last two competitions in Daegu.
The KAF will announce the final roster of the competition Monday.
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