BOLT WANTS TO BE LIKE MIKE 

It's no longer enough to be the world's fastest man and a legend.

Sprint standout Usain Bolt has his eyes on even bigger things, and the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, which gets under way this week, is another important rung in his quest for domination.

"I want to be like Michael Jordan and the other greats," Bolt told The Gleaner.

In spite of the absence of his biggest rivals Yohan Blake, Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell, Bolt is keeping himself motivated by concentrating on his own targets and underlining that he wants to be listed among the upper echelons of sporting greats.

"I just want to set myself higher than the rest because I want to be among the greatest of all time and be discussed among greats like Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali and Pele," said Bolt.

"I want to be among these guys and, if I want to do that, I know that I have to keep pushing myself, regardless of who I am facing, so that when I retire, I will be remembered among the greatest sportsmen ever.

"I know that I have to keep setting the bar high," Bolt added.

Bolt, who holds world records in the 100m (9.58), 200m (19.19) and is a member of Jamaica's 36.84 world record 4x100m relay team, also became the first man to win back-to-back sprint doubles at the Olympic Games, with victories in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

A global icon, Bolt is widely regarded as the greatest sprinter ever, but he believes that he will need to keep delivering at the highest level - on stages such as the IAAF World Championships - if he is to be truly accepted among the likes of basketball legend Michael Jordan, footballing great Pele and boxing's Ali.

Meanwhile, Bolt's coach, Glen Mills, is satisfied with the athlete's work coming into the championships, noting that the big Jamaican is fit and healthy.

"The lead-up to the (Jamaica) trials wasn't as good as I would have loved it, but since the trials, things have stepped up and he is on track," Mills said.

"Based on his last 100m in London, I would say that he is in pretty good shape," Mills added.

"He is healthy and I expect him to do extremely well, as he usually does in these championships."

Bolt posted a powerful 9.85 to win the 100m at the recent Sainsbury's London Anniversary Games.

He will face the likes of American Justin Gatlin and compatriots Nickel Ashmeade and Nesta Carter in the 100m, with Warren Weir, Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre and Ashmeade expected to keep him honest in the 200m.

-- Edited by ssugarlipss (Administrator) on Thursday 8th of August 2013 12:20:23 PM