The athletics world is hoping to cash in on the success of cricket's high-octane Twenty20 format with a new team event spearheaded by Usain Bolt which starts Saturday in Australia. The inaugural Nitro Athletics in Melbourne, which will also be held on February 9 and 11, features non-traditional events such as middle-distance and hurdles relays.
World 100-metre record holder Bolt said Friday: "We just want to make it more exciting so I'm looking forward to seeing the crowd reaction to what we are doing."
Twelve events each evening will include an elimination mile, where the slowest runners are knocked out after each lap until three competitors contest the final circuit.
Male and female runners will also accumulate team points in a 60-metre (65.6-yard) dash, the 150 metres and a 2x300-metre relay.
Bolt will be supported by US Olympic hurdle champion Kerron Clement and sprinter Asafa Powell to try to draw in the crowds.
"I think it's going to be great, it's going to be like cricket, but Twenty20," Bolt said Thursday.
The format sees an 'All-Stars' team captained by the Jamaican sprinter compete against teams from Australia, China, Japan, England and New Zealand.
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