Bolt withdraws from trials with torn hammy

Bolt speculation: Little information was available about the status Usain Bolt, two-time defending Olympic champion in the 100 and 200 meters, the day after he pulled out of Jamaica’s trials citing a slight hamstring tear.

US sprinter Tyson Gay on Saturday offered get-well wishes to Bolt, who withdrew from the Jamaican trials and requested a medical exemption onto his country’s Rio Olympic squad, but Americans are sure they haven’t seen the last of Bolt just yet.

The Jamaican likely must now prove his fitness over 200m at the Diamond League meet July 22 in London to have a hope of running the event in Rio.

“But insane things happen in Olympic years, so we’ll see what happens”, added Gatlin, who launched his Olympic qualification bid with an opening time of 10.03 seconds to comfortably win his 100-meters heat on Saturday. “So we’ve just got to get ready and prepare just like he’s there”, Michael Rodgers said after winning the first heat of the preliminary round on Saturday at Hayward Field with a time of 10.00 seconds.

“I have submitted a medical exemption to be excused from the 100m final and the remainder of the National Championships”, Bolt said in a statement posted on Twitter. “2012, last year. I know he is going to come back strong”. He’s the Olympic champ, world champ. Even though a Grade 1 hamstring tear is considered the most mild version of that injury, Bolt doesn’t have any room for a setback or failure. “But c’mon. We’re going to see his face in Rio one way or another”.

Bolt removed himself from the 100-meter final at Saturday’s Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association Senior Trials after posting a 10.04 to win his semifinal heat. An athlete must finish in the top three at the USA track and field trials to go on to the Olympics.

“I’ve had an wonderful career”, the three-time Olympian said.

The performance of the day came from Olympic long jump champion Brittney Reese, who booked her ticket to Rio after producing the best leap worldwide in more than a decade to clinch victory.

The women’s semifinals saw Francena McCorory edge Allyson Felix by 0.03 seconds for the top qualifying time, with Courtney Okolo only six hundredths of a second behind Felix.