Bolt eyeing 2017 finish line

Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt has repeated his intention to continue competing until the world championships in 2017 after winning relay gold at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday.

The world's fastest man had planned to retire after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics but has reiterated comments made in September that he could delay those plans for another year.

"I've always said that after Rio I wanted to retire but they keep saying I should go on till 2017, so I think I might just do that and that will be my last championships," Bolt said.

Usain Bolt poses for 'selfies' with fans after anchoring Jamaica to the gold medal in Saturday's 4×100m relay final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Phil Noble / Reuters

He was speaking to reporters after anchoring Jamaica to gold in the 4×100m relay, his first Commonwealth Games medal.

"This training thing is not so easy so I'm just so happy I've been able to do what I wanted in this sport," he said.

The 27-year-old Bolt is an eight-time world champion and holds the world record at 100 and 200 meters.

He believes the 2017 worlds in London, where he won triple gold at the 2012 Olympics, could be the place to retire and has consulted a former Olympic champion and current 400m world record holder about his plans.

"I asked Michael Johnson why he retired when he was on top and he told me there was nothing else for him to accomplish," said Bolt. "I think when you've accomplished everything you want then you should just retire."

After anchoring the Jamaica team of Jason Livermore, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade to victory on a puddle-strewn track, Bolt charmed the crowd by performing his 'lightning bolt' celebration, posing for selfies and donning a tartan hat.

"Other than the weather, it's been brilliant," Bolt said of Glasgow.

"It felt like any other championship. I got to watch a lot more sports and see a lot more athletes competing.

"It's always great to have fun with the fans. They made the Games what it was. They are so warm; even when I was cold they were always warm.

"But I want to say that this new thing about selfies, they are really making these laps of honor really, really long," he joked.

There were concerns the difficult conditions, with the track carrying surface water for much of the night, could mean the race would not live up to its billing, but the rain subsided in time for a thrilling finale to the athletics events.

England's quartet of Adam Gemili, who took silver in the 100, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Richard Kilty and Talbot got themselves into a promising position to defend the title won by their country four years ago in Delhi.

But they could not contend with Bolt's blistering pace and had to settle for silver in 38.02 sec ahead of Trinidad and Tobago, which took bronze 0.08 sec behind them.

Jamaica's new competition-best time beat one that had stood for 16 years, when England ran 38.20 sec in Kuala Lumpur.

Jamaica picked up further gold medals on the final day of athletics as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce anchored the women's 4×100 team to victory, while Stephanie McPherson, who won the 400 gold on Tuesday, helped the Jamaicans clinch the 4×400 relay title.

(China Daily 08/04/2014 page23)