Anniversary Games: Usain Bolt ready for big London test

Usain Bolt has said he is unsure how his pelvic injury will cope with the rigours of possibly running two 100m races at Friday’s Anniversary Games.The Olympic champion has raced once over the distance this year, clocking a pedestrian 10.12 seconds in April.

“I have worked hard in training so we will see how it is,” said Bolt, 29.

Britons Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill are also among a number of star names competing at London’s Olympic Stadium this Friday and Saturday.

Sunday will see several of London 2012’s Paralympic stars take centre stage as The Stadium hosts the final leg of the IPC Grand Prix Series.

GB stars will include Jonnie Peacock, who is hoping to break a new world record in the T44 100m, David Weir, Shelly Woods and Richard Whitehead.

The 32-year-old Farah will race in Britain for the first time since doping allegations were made against his coach Alberto Salazar last month.

The double Olympic champion, who will line up in the men’s 3,000m on the opening night of the two-day Diamond League meeting, has not been accused of any wrongdoing and on Thursday Bolt said he felt sorry for the double Olympic champion.

Both athletes will be under the spotlight when they return to the scene of some of their finest achievements.

There are those who question whether six-time Olympic champion Bolt can successfully defend his 100m and 200m world titles in Beijing in August, particularly given the form of rival Justin Gatlin, the fastest man over both distances this year.

“I’m very excited for Beijing and a little bit nervous,” added the world record holder, who will run in the heats on Friday and then the final just over an hour later, should he qualify.

“I set the bar quite high last time [in Moscow]. I am not going there to lose. I always ensure I am ready for Championships.

“For me it just takes one run to get to 9.7. It is the first 40m that is important and if I get that right, I know I’ll be ok.”

The Jamaican said he wanted to “put on a show” for the fans on Friday, saying: “Everywhere I go there are always a lot of Jamaicans in the crowd, especially in London, and I come here for the fans. They support me and I want to do great for them.”

With none of the top three athletes of the season – Gatlin, Asafa Powell and Trayvon Bromell – in London, Bolt’s biggest threats are likely to be Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut, whose season’s best 9.86secs is equal fourth fastest of the year, and compatriot Kemar Bailey-Cole and American Ryan Bailey.

British 100m champion CJ Ujah and fellow Britons James Dasaolu, Richard Kilty and James Ellington will also be taking part in the 100m.

Organisers say tickets are still available for the event, which has not been a sell-out despite its world-class field.

With British Athletics selecting their squad for the Worlds on 27 July, this weekend will be a final chance for Olympic heptathlon champion Ennis-Hill to assess whether she is ready for Beijing.

Ennis-Hill, who returned to the sport earlier this year after nearly two years out because of injury, pregnancy and motherhood, will compete in three events: the 100m hurdles on Friday and the long jump and 200m on Saturday afternoon.

“If Jess wasn’t thinking of going to Beijing she wouldn’t be doing three events this weekend,” said former world 1500m champion Steve Cram in his latest BBC Sport column. “I think if she’s quick in the sprints she’ll decide to go to the World Championships.”

On Saturday, Greg Rutherford will take part in the men’s long jump, while European pentathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson will face Ennis-Hill in the long jump.

Britain’s fastest woman Dina Asher-Smith has said she is not daunted by the prospect of competing at the Olympic Stadium for the first time when she runs in the sprint relay on Friday and women’s 100m on Saturday.

Twenty Olympic champions will be competing in Stratford, with Olympic 800m gold medallist David Rudisha among them, returning to the track where he broke the 800m world record in London 2012.

He will come up against Commonwealth Champion Nijel Amos in a much-anticipated men’s 800m on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a great race this weekend and I know I’m going to have to be at my best to come out on top,” said the Kenyan, who has beaten Botswana’s Amos once in their previous six meetings.

World champion Christine Ohurugou will open the meet when she runs in the women’s 400m on Friday night, while pole vault world record holder Renaud Lavillenie says he is in “good shape” to win his event on Friday.