Indian officials realise they need Bolt to generate excitement in the cricket-crazy nation, and are looking for a sponsor to help ensure the triple Olympic and world champion turns up for the event.

Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the New Delhi organising committee, has claimed that he is confident that Bolt and team-mate Asafa Powell, the former world record holder for the 100 metres, and the rest of Jamaica's top sprinters will run.

Jamaica finished second overall in the medals table at the World Championships in Berlin last month behind only the United States with a total of 13 medals, seven of which were gold.
 
It surpassed even their total at the Olymics in Beijing last year when they won 11 medals, six of them gold, when they had finished behind the US and Russia.

Kalmadi said: "The Commonwealth countries, including Jamaica, are going to send their best teams.

"Usain Bolt is going to come and all the top chaps from other nations are also coming.

"The Commonwealth Games are next only to the Olympics."

Bolt, who broke his own world records for the 100 and 200 metres in Berlin last month, has so refused to commit himself to the Commonwealth Games, which are due to open on October 3, 2010.

He has said that he will leave the final decision to his coach, Glen Mills.


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