Olympics

The 21-year-old Jamaican has been in phenomenal form this summer, setting a world 100m record of 9.72seconds in New York in May and running the year's fastest 200m, 19.67sec, in Athens three weeks ago.

His coach Glen Mills, who it was suggested might not make any decision on Olympic events until the eve of the 100m heats which begin on August 15, made the announcement in Kingston today.

Bolt has always insisted he would abide by whatever choice his trusted coach and mentor decided.

"Coach Mills today confirmed that I will run the 100m and 200m in the Olympic Games," said Bolt. "I am feeling good and look forward to running well in both events."

Bolt, if he succeeds in his double quest, would be the ninth athlete to achieve the feat.

The last man was Carl Lewis, who triumphed on home soil at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

His biggest rivals are expected to be Tyson Gay, who claimed three gold medals at last last summer's World Championships, and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell.

American Gay has not competed since the USA Olympic trials in June, when after winning the 100m crown he injured himself in the 200m.

Powell also had early-season injury problems but has bounced back and recently - in a period of eight days - won major international 100m races in Stockholm, London and Monaco.

The former world record-holder, who lost his title by two-hundredths-of-a-second to Bolt, beat his rival in their head to head at Sweden's DN Galan meeting on July 22.