Usain Bolt to help launch Nitro Summer Athletics League with black-tie event

USAIN Bolt is the star attraction at a black-tie dinner to launch the new Nitro Summer Athletics League in Melbourne in February.

Usain Bolt will be at Crown for the black-tie event. Picture: Getty Images

OLYMPIC champion Usain Bolt is the star attraction at a black-tie dinner to launch the new Nitro Summer Athletics League in Melbourne in February.

The All That Glitters Is Gold event will be held at Crown on February 2, two days before Bolt runs at Lakeside Stadium to kick off the series.

Sprinter Ash Whittaker gears up for Nitro Athletics. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Nitro will feature teams competing against each other in a variety of short, sharp events.

Former sprinter John Steffensen, a friend of Bolt, said the Jamaican superstar couldn’t wait to come back to Australia to race. “Usain doesn’t do anything unless he really wants to,” he said.

“He is coming out here to race because he wants to be there.

“It’s such a big deal for him to come, after an Olympic year and before a world championship campaign.”

Promising sprinter Ashleigh Whittaker said Nitro gave athletes the chance to compete at a high level without the pressure from chasing qualifying times.

“I think that will make it really fun,” the Team Australia member said.

Have you seen the shot of #NitroAthletics Team Aus squad member @AshWhittaker1 in today's @heraldsunsport?
Take a peek behind the scenes! pic.twitter.com/pKQe7aDzKd

— Nitro Athletics (@nitro_aths) December 19, 2016

Originally published as Usain Bolt to help launch Nitro Summer Athletics League with black-tie event