Coe sold on the Nitro Athletics concept

Track and field's global movers and shakers see a big future for Nitro Athletics.

Australian athlete Ryan Greyson (left)

Track and field's global movers and shakers see a big future for Nitro Athletics. (AAP)

Add global track and field boss Sebastian Coe to the burgeoning Nitro Athletics bandwagon.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president was in the stands at Lakeside Stadium on Thursday night to watch as the Usain Bolt All Stars claimed a narrow win over Australia in the second Nitro meet.

"I saw engagement, I saw fun and laughter and that's what the sport has been missing for a long time," said Coe.

"It was a terrific start.

"It's an obvious thing to say but unless we innovate we're going to become less and less relevant and we can't afford to do that."

Nitro is the brainchild of former 400m star John Steffensen and Athletics Australia, while Bolt is also a key figure and holds an equity stake in the teams-based concept.

The inaugural three-meet series concludes on Saturday night.

Nitro and Bolt will return to Australia - probably again in Melbourne - in 2018 and 2019.

But Coe reckons the high-octane event can work just about anywhere.

"I'm really pleased that these guys took up the challenge and ran with it," the IAAF boss said on Friday.

"It probably needed the sort of flair that has been seen in other elements of Australian sport to take this on and do it.

"I'm really pleased it has happened here and we now have to figure out what the rest of the journey looks like."

Much of the razzamatazz associated with Nitro Athletics would be familiar to watchers of the major T20 cricket competitions such as the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash League (BBL).

With that in mind, new IAAF CEO Olivier Gers met with his Cricket Australia counterpart James Sutherland on Friday to exchange ideas.

Central to the success of Nitro has been the enthusiastic backing and participation of Bolt, who has pretty much carried the sport on his shoulders for the past decade.

"For me the next step is globalisation in Europe and all around the world," said the eight-time Olympic champion.

"... I've never been in a situation where I've had so much fun at a track meet - ever.

"I want people to experience what I've experienced, I want people to see what I've seen, to feel the energy."

AA president Mark Arbib has been another driving force behind the series.

"We couldn't have done this without Usain ... but it's not just about Usain himself," said Arbib.

"He's also set up the Bolt All Stars and this is a very important piece of business.

"Over time you will find the Bolt All Stars getting bigger and bigger."

Steffensen said several other countries had already approached him, eager to get a piece of the Nitro action - and he expected to hear from plenty more.


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