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By Charean Williams, cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

Caribbean sprint lLegend Kim Collins is calling it quits. After five Olympics and at the age of 40, the Saint Kitts and Nevis sprinter announced Sunday he soon will retire.

“I’m not going to carry on much longer,” Collins said. “I won’t go past this time next year. I think I’m done with the championships. I think this was my last championship race. I’m trying to get the young guys to step up. I’ve been coming out like a trooper and as a sprinter I’ve never stepped away from a challenge.”

Collins made it to the semifinals of the 100-meter dash Sunday, but running in a heat with Usain Bolt and Canada’s Andre De Grasse, Collins finished only sixth in 10.12. Bolt later won the gold medal and De Grasse the bronze.

“I was hoping to bring personal best Kim Collins, but he didn’t show up today,” Collins said. “I didn’t go as fast as I wanted to, but this is life. I still have to be thankful that I’m able to do this at my age.”

Collins has five world championship medals, including gold in the 100 in 2003, but he has never won an Olympic medal. He has the 4×100 remaining.

He finished seventh in the finals of the 100 in 2000, sixth in 2004 and sixth in 2008.

“This would have been the one to complete my collection,” Collins said. “A medal here was the one that was missing. So you still chase that, and I still have an opportunity in the relay coming up.”

Collins said Father Time finally has caught him.

“The body’s showing some signs of saying, ‘Chill out, man,’” Collins said. “I knew coming here late in the year I was in some trouble. There were signs that I wasn’t ready.”