Pearson not locked in yet for Nitro Aths

Sally Pearson has yet to decide whether to take part in the first edition of Nitro Athletics.

Australian athlete Sally Pearson

Sally Pearson has finished third in the 60m hurdles at an indoor meet in Germany. (AAP)

Sally Pearson has yet to decide whether to join Usain Bolt as the second headline act of the Nitro Athletics series in Melbourne next year.

Having the legendary Jamaican sprinter as captain-coach of the Bolt All-Stars team is a massive coup for event organisers, with the nine-time Olympic champion committed to racing at each of the three meets on February 4, 9 and 11.

Pearson would be the obvious preferred option to lead the Australian squad in the new teams-based concept.

But the 30-year-old has only recently returned to competition after recovering from the hamstring injury which ruled her out of the Rio Olympics.

The 2012 Olympic 100m hurdles champion is now coaching herself, having parted ways with Ash Mahoney in August.

There is a mixed hurdles relay on the Nitro program, although Pearson could instead opt to compete in the flat sprint events, if and when she signs on the dotted line.

"You're never going to know something works unless you try, so I give them full credit for trying something different and taking a risk," Pearson said on Monday.

"We'll have to wait and see what happens.

"I would like to be a part of it but it's just a matter of whether we can all agree on the contract.

"At the end of the day if it is not for me, it's not for me.

"I'm an individual athlete and I'm coming back from a couple of serious injuries so I have to make sure that my body is going to hold up through to the world championships next year."

Nitro Athletics will involve six teams of 12 men and 12 women competing across a wide range of mostly non-traditional events, including a three-minute run for men and women and medley and hurdles relays.

The long jump will include a turbo charge option, where competitors can nominate a distance before they jump, with bonus points on offer.

There will also be power plays and steals - where teams can take 50 per cent of another team's points from a particular event.

The capacity of Lakeside Stadium will be increased from 6000 to 8000 for the three events, all of which will be televised live on the Seven Network.

More than 50 Australian athletes have already expressed their interest in competing in the Nitro series.

In addition to the 24 spots on offer in the home team, a further two Australians can be accommodated in the Bolt All-Stars lineup.

China, Japan and England are also involved, with New Zealand expected to be confirmed later this week as the sixth and final team.


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Source: AAP



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