By Gary Smith

Despite receiving encouragements from a number of leading coaches and pundits to move up and run the 400-metres, Jamaican sprint phenomenon Usain Bolt says he is sticking to running the 100m and 200m for a while.

Running in only his first full season as a 100m runner, Bolt quickly established his status as the world's sprint king with world records and Olympic titles in both the 100m and 200m dashes.

His full-blown dominance this season in the shorter sprints left many, including American top 400m runner Clyde Hart and former Jamaican World champion Bert Cameron calling for the 22-year-old to move up and take a stab at the quarter-mile.

However, while not totally dismissing the prospects of elevating in the future, Bolt said he is certainly in no hurry to make any hasty changes.

"A lot of people would like to see me run the 400m, but I am in no hurry to move up," Bolt said in an interview with Punch, a Nigerian daily newspaper.

"I think I will move up eventually, but for now I am happy to concentrate on the 100 and 200m."

Just recently Hart, the man who followed American great Michael Johnson to world records in the 200m and 400m, said he believes Bolt had the potential to break the world record in the 400m also

"Yes, I think certainly if he (Bolt) had the right programme, with his speed, he could run under 43 second," Hart said.

Even Bolt's own coach Glen Mills strongly believe the young Jamaican sprinter is capable of running fast 400m, but he added that the sprint marvel will continue to run shorter distances.

"I don't know right now. Usain is not interesting in running the 400m right now," Mills said.

"He is excited about running 100m and the 200m is his favourite event so he stops there. (But) if (Jamaica) can come up with a high profile team maybe we can get him to run a leg on the 4x400," he added.

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