A new, slimmed-down competition schedule will have triple champion Usain Bolt running fewer races when he defends his sprint titles at the World Athletics Ahampionships that begin in Daegu Saturday. The Jamaican, like most sprinters, will need only six races to capture gold in the 100 and 200 meters instead of the eight required in past Olympics and world championships. “We are trying to make the program more compact, more exciting,” International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) competition director Paul Hardy said. Daegu and its Aug 27-Sept 4 championships will be the first test for the streamlined schedule. London's 2012 Games will see their Olympic introduction. One round of the 200 meters has been shelved for all runners and only those without a qualifying mark will face four rounds of the 100. The latter has piqued the most interest because it will reduce from four to three the number of times Bolt and other elite runners will race in the 100 meters. The reigning champion and other top sprinters will start their 100 meters runs at 9:45 P.M. local time Saturday instead of loping through opening rounds against much slower competitors earlier in the day. “In the past, we have had four rounds in the 100 meters,” Hardy said. “We are (now) having a preliminary round with all the unqualified competing against each other to progress to the next round.”
