Mystery surrounds the fitness of Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt after he withdrew from the 100 metres at Jamaica's national trials and his management team failed to provide any explanation for his absence.
Jamaica's Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Bolt was due to run the shorter sprint in an attempt to sharpen his form for the world championships in Beijing in August, where he is automatically entered to defend the 100m and 200m titles he won in 2013.
However, Bolt's name was removed from the list of entrants for the 100m released by the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA).
"He was entered and has since been withdrawn," JAAA general secretary Garth Gayle told Reuters, giving no further details.
Bolt, 28, had been entered along with Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter in the preliminary list published by the JAAA on Sunday.
He had appeared to be in good shape when training on Wednesday, sources said.
The 100m and 200m world record holder has struggled for form this year with modest best times of 10.12 seconds over 100m in Brazil and 20.13 for 200 in Ostrava.
The 10-times world championship medallist expressed concerns after a pedestrian 20.29 to win the 200m at the recent New York Diamond League meeting where he said he ran his "worst turn ever".
Bolt's coach Glen Mills and agent Ricky Simms have yet to respond to questions about what his next move will be.
He is scheduled to run Diamond League races in Paris on July 4 -- an event he pulled out of last year with a foot injury -- and Lausanne five days later.