Rome 100m test for Usain Bolt

ROME, Italy (CMC):

Usain Bolt said he will use the Golden Gala meet on May 31 as an early test of his form ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

This followed confirmation from the Jamaican sprint megastar that he will again this year take part in the men's 100 metres dash at the meet, which is the third leg of the IAAF Diamond League series.

"I'm training hard," he said in a media release from the organisers of the meet. "The off season has been good. Everything is going according to plan.

"The aim is to defend my Olympic titles in London. Rome's race will be a good early season test and tell me what I need to do on the way to the Olympic Games."

Bolt, the reigning Olympic 100 and 200 champion, clocked a nifty 9.91 seconds in the 100 before a crowd of 47,732 spectators.

"I am looking forward to returning to Rome and to be back on the fast track of the Stadio Olimpico for the Golden Gala," Bolt said.

"I have great memories of last year's edition. It was my first time running in Italy, and I enjoyed the fantastic crowd at the Stadium."

He added: "Someone told me it was the biggest crowd for athletics in the last 10 years: something that made me really happy.

"I remember the huge coverage from the media there. The media conference I had two days before the race was one of the biggest I ever had outside the Olympics or World Championships. I didn't get to see much of the city, maybe I will get to see some more this year."

This is the second Diamond League meet for the year at which Bolt, the current World record holder in the 100 and 200, has confirmed participation.

Last week, organisers said that he would contest the 100 at the Bislett Games in Norwegian city of Oslo on June 7.