In a bid to improve his start ahead of the London Olympic Games, which gets under way next week, world's fastest man Usain Bolt has bought a pair of the newly designed Omega starting blocks, which will be used at next week's athletics showpiece.

The sprinter, who has been plagued by starting issues in recent months, has already voiced his objection to the new blocks, describing them as "a bit too short".

And, even while the IAAF in May dismissed the sprint king's fears that the blocks had been shortened, it seems he is taking no chances. The sport's governing body, which revealed that the blocks had in fact been widened, said the changes were made in order to enhance the athletes' performances.

expressed interest

According to US-based website Fast Life Show (http://www.fastlifeshow.com), Omega Timing board member Peter Hurzeler confirmed that the sprinter expressed his interest in acquiring a pair of the instruments for purchase following the Jamaica's National Trials, and subsequently bought a pair of the blocks for an estimated US$4,910.

"The next day we had the money in the bank and we sent it to him to London for testing," Hurzeler was quoted as saying.

Standing at 6ft 5in, Bolt has never been a notoriously quick starter but a series of terrible results in recent month's, beginning with disqualification at the Daegu World Championships in South Korea last year, have cast the sprinter's weak point into the spotlight. At Jamaica's National Trials three weeks ago, his training partner Yohan Blake, who captured the World Championship 100m crown following Bolt's mishaps, handed the double record holder another rare defeat over the distance. Seemingly glued in the blocks following the sound of the starter's gun, Bolt used his trademark top-end speed to catch the rest of the field but never got back to Blake. Many pundits believe that if the reigning Olympic champion is to be successful in London, getting a strong start will be a key ingredient.