KINGSTON, (Reuters) – Six-times Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt headlines Jamaica’s squad for the world athletics championships in Beijing later this month.
The world record holder over 100 and 200 metres is joined in the 53-member squad by Asafa Powell and Warren Weir, both world championships sprint relay gold medallists.
Bolt answered questions over his fitness with a 100m season’s best of 9.87 seconds at the London Anniversary Games last month while Powell ran his fastest 100 in four years to win the sprint at the Paris Diamond League meeting in 9.81 seconds.
Rasheed Dwyer, who set a career best of 19.80 seconds over 200m at the Pan American Games, also makes the squad.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the reigning sprint double champion from Moscow two years ago, tops the list of female athletes and is joined by former world 100 and 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown.
The team will be accompanied by 19 officials including technical leader Maurice Wilson and head coach Michael Clarke.