Usain Bolt has flown to see the German doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt in order to fix the back problems that flared up during his narrow win in Ostrava on Wednesday but has no doubts he can recover in time for the world championships in London.
Müller-Wohlfahrt uses unconventional techniques such as injecting calves’ blood, honey and extracts from crests of cockerels into his patients but Bolt swears by his methods and believes the doctor has helped extend his career.
“I am going to see my doctor now so I know he will fix every problem,” he said after winning the 100m at the Golden Spike meeting in a modest 10.06sec. “Then all I need to do is train hard and get myself into some shape. One run doesn’t really matter to me – it always comes down to the championships.”
Bolt also went to Müller-Wohlfahrt because of a hamstring strain before winning three gold medals at the Olympics last year. Over the years he has become a regular visitor with back problems that have worsened as he has got older. Bolt said last year: “He’s the only person I’ve been to over the years that has figured out a way to make sure my back is OK so I can compete and I can stay on track.”
Mo Farah has admitted he is not yet in perfect shape to defend his 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the world championships, which start on 5 August, despite a comfortable win over 10,000m in Ostrava. “I still need to do a lot more work,” he said.
“I’m not quite there yet and it showed. I was a bit rusty. I’ll get on my flight to go to London, be there for a few days and then back to my training camp in Font Romeu [France]. There’s a bit more work to do and then I have a 3,000m at the Anniversary Games [9 July] to sharpen up. Hopefully I’ve got enough time.
“One of the things I’d like to do is finish on a high. I’ve always wanted that. I will try my best but it ain’t going to be easy. If everything goes perfect then I should be able to do it. If not then it’s going to be hard.”
Bolt has predicted Wayde van Niekerk will become the next superstar of track and field after he shattered Michael Johnson’s 300m world record in Ostrava, having done the same to his 400m record in Rio last year. Bolt said: “For sure he can. I was talking to him, and he PRed [set a personal record] in the 100m, 200m and now the 300m, so he is showing he is ready for the challenge. He is really down to earth, he is humble, he is a great person. He listens and he wants to be good. He is on the right track and, if he continues like this, he will take over track and field.”
The IAAF, meanwhile, has announced that its doping review board has approved the applications of nine Russian athletes to compete in the under-18 world championships this year as neutral athletes while their national federation remains suspended.
The board accepted the applications of the pole vaulter Aksana Gataullina, the walkers Ekaterina Gorshenina and Salavat Ilkaev, Elvira Khasanova and Sergey Kozhevnikov, the sprinters Polina Miller and Varvara Nasibulina, the middle-distance runner Danila Tundykov and the high‑jumper Valentina Ulyanova. In total 22 applications have been approved and 45 have been declined.
