Jamaica's 100m world record holder Usain Bolt finally indicated his desire to repeat the feat Carl Lewis achieved 24 years ago by going for both the 100m and 200m gold medals during the Beijing Olympic Games.
But he still doesn't know for sure.
"I'm not exactly sure. I have not decided. It is most likely 80 percent sure that I'll do the double," Bolt said at a press conference yesterday, a part of Puma's "Beijing Jian" (see you in Beijing) campaign.
"But I would like to race in both. I have been working hard and will try to win at the Olympics. A gold medal at an Olympic Games means a lot for me," Bolt said.
The 21-year-old sprinting sensation has risen to superstar status on the track, winning nine out of his last 10 races in 100m and 200m competitions this year.
In May, Bolt clocked 9.72 sec to break the 100m world record in New York. He now boasts the two quickest performances of the year.
His accomplishments have continued in the 200m, where Bolt has recorded the three fastest times this year, including an impressive 19.67sec run in Athens three weeks ago.
But Bolt says his biggest goals are still to come.
"It means everything to my career," he said about the Olympics. "For any track and field athlete, it's the biggest competition you can have, not just for yourself but for your country as well."
The 200m world record still belongs to Michael Johnson (19.32), but Johnson has said several times that this summer shows Bolt may be on the verge of breaking it.
Even if he does only win the 100m, Bolt will still be a hero back home as the Caribbean's first 100m champion since Trinidad's Hasely Crawford in 1976.
Bolt first showed his sprinting talent at the age of 15 when he won the 200m title at the World Junior Championships.
"I started track and filed at about 10 at primary school. I actually preferred cricket, which is pretty popular in Jamaica, but then the physical education teacher encouraged me to do track as he felt I could do well.
"After I won in 2002, I knew that I could perform at the very top level if I really wanted to be the best and became completely dedicated to the training."
But Bolt admits he still has room to improve and says he has yet to clock his best time.
"I think I have to get more consistent in the first steps. I hope to be at my peak in 2012. I will only be 25 at that time."
Bolt also said it's more difficult to complete a double compared with 24 years ago as the race is extremely competitive. He said people like compatriot Asafa Powell and American sprinter Tyson Gay will give him a run for his money.
"There are definitely more tough opponents this time. All of us are very close. And you have to run a perfect race if you want to win."
(China Daily August 6, 2008)