An uncommonly early start to his racing campaign could pay a big dividend down the track for Usain Bolt.
The Jamaican will bring down the curtain on the greatest career in track and field history at the world championships in London in August.
Bolt has won every 100m and 200m title at Olympic and world level since 2008 - with the exception of the 2011 100m world crown when he false-started in the final.
The 30-year-old has now dropped the half-lap race from his program but is hellbent on claiming one more major 100m gold medal in London.
"It would be great to go out at my best running 9.7 or 9.6," said Bolt, whose 100m world record of 9.58 seconds was set in 2009.
"Being able to run early in the season is always good and the fact that I have no injuries is good.
"Most of the time in January and February I have niggles, but to have no problems is a good sign and I'm happy about that."
Bolt usually doesn't start racing until May or June, but that schedule has been turned on its head by the inaugural Nitro Athletics series, which kicks off on Saturday night in Melbourne.
Bolt is the star attraction in the teams-based concept, in which he has a financial stake.
He has committed to competing in all three Nitro meets, although he has yet to reveal which events he is targeting.
There's even the intriguing possibility of the fastest man of alltime having a crack at the long jump - although that role in the All Stars squad is likely to go to American Jarrion Lawson.
Much of the focus in Nitro is unashamedly on entertainment, but Bolt pledged on Friday that the competitors in all six teams would be taking it seriously.
"We're athletes, we normally compete at a high level," he said.
"But it makes it a little bit more relaxing.
"We don't have to really stress because we have teammates and it's a points system.
"We'll go out there and do our best and even if we don't do our best we'll have someone to back us up."
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