Bolt makes bow as Farah, Kiprotich eye history books

Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt makes his bow in the 100m heats on the opening day of the World Athletics Championships on Saturday, when Briton Mo Farah will bid for an unprecedented six consecutive global track distance titles in the 10,000m.

Bolt’s appearance at Beijing’s iconic Bird’s Nest stadium comes seven years after he stormed to treble gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in the Chinese capital, a period during which he has dominated sprinting.

“Beijing was where it all started for me at the Olympic Games in 2008,” the towering 29-year-old said.

“I have great memories of this city and the stadium. It’s great to be back here, I’m looking forward to getting on the track on Saturday.”

After missing six weeks of competitive sprinting because of an early-season injury, Bolt rebounded with back-to-back winning times of 9.87sec at last month’s <g data-gr-id="22">Londond</g> Diamond League meet. “I’m in great form and I’m ready to go,” he said. Farah, who came through the youth and junior ranks alongside Bolt, has made the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent months, with his American coach Alberto Salazar accused of violating several anti-doping rules.

Salazar has strenuously denied all the accusations against him and Farah, who was not accused of any wrongdoing, has vowed to stick by his coach unless any allegations are proven. 

Since losing to Ibrahim Jeilan in the Daegu worlds in 2011, Farah has won five global track distance titles in a row. He rebounded to win the 5000m in <g data-gr-id="24">Daegu,</g> and followed up with 5000m-10,000m 

doubles at both the London 2012 Olympics and the 2013 world championships in Moscow.