Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Bolt aims for fast 100 in Belgium on Friday
By The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 03, 2008 | No comments posted.
BRUSSELS, Belgium — Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt will run the 100 meters in the fastest field ever assembled Friday, seeking to break the world record for the third time this season.
At the Van Damme Memorial, the Olympic champion will face Asafa Powell, the former record-holder who matched the second-fastest 100 of all time on Tuesday, and Tyson Gay, the world champion.
They are the three fastest all-time, and have posted the 10 fastest 100 dashes. Meet organizer Wilfried Meert said such a select field is unique.
“This has never happened before,” Meert said.
Bolt will be the center of attention at the 50,000-capacity King Baudouin stadium. The Jamaican won three gold medals and set three world records at the Beijing Olympics last month.
“Usain Bolt, we all know he is on fire right now,” said Gay, who failed to make the final in Beijing and is still slowed by a hamstring injury.
Bolt will be chasing his 100-meter mark of 9.69 seconds, despite a cold and intercontinental travel from Beijing. Last week, Bolt won the 100 in 9.83 seconds in the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, his first competition since the Olympics.
On Tuesday in Lausanne, Switzerland, he eased up well before the finish in his 200 and still tied the fourth-best time at 19.63. He set the world record of 19.30 in Beijing.
Fellow Jamaican Powell ran 9.72 in the 100 in Lausanne, equaling the former world record Bolt set in New York City last May.
Powell’s time was a personal best, and came after a fifth-place finish at the Olympics.
“I’m very happy,” Powell said. “It’s a bit late. But I’m very happy after all that I’ve been through this year.”
Gay isn’t sure how his leg will hold up because of the lingering hamstring injury.
“I don’t think I am as sharp right now, considering my leg, to be very, very, competitive with those guys,” he said, indicating he could still decide to skip the race.
If no human can defeat him, Bolt’s biggest obstacle might be the weather. Forecasts call for rain and cool temperatures.
“It will all depend on the weather, and it doesn’t look too good,” Meert said. “It will be very difficult for the athletes that come out of the heat of Beijing.”
In Tuesday’s meet at Switzerland, Jamaica’s sprinting dominance extended to the women.
Olympic 100 champion Shelly-Ann Fraser confirmed Beijing form with a winning time of 11.03, three-hundredths ahead of her Jamaica teammate Kerron Stewart who had taken silver. Marshevet Hooker of the United States was third in 11.09.
Delloreen Ennis-London, fifth in the 100 hurdles at Beijing, overturned that result with victory in 12.60, three-hundredths ahead of American gold medalist Dawn Harper. LoLo Jones of the U.S., who seemed sure to win the Olympic title before falling near the line, was fourth.
Dayron Robles of Cuba had talked of adding a world record in Lausanne to his Olympic gold medal but suffered a surprising defeat in the men’s 110 hurdles.
David Oliver of the U.S. won in 13.03 as Robles struck two of the final three obstacles, sending the last crashing.
“He’s beaten me three times this year. I’ve beaten him twice,” Oliver said. “Always I was capable of running well. When you come out here and perform, that’s the big thing.”
Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt was another American winner in the 400, with a time of 43.98. Merritt’s teammate in the gold medal-winning 4x400 quartet, Angelo Taylor, the 400 hurdles champion, was second in 44.38.
At the Van Damme Memorial, the Olympic champion will face Asafa Powell, the former record-holder who matched the second-fastest 100 of all time on Tuesday, and Tyson Gay, the world champion.
They are the three fastest all-time, and have posted the 10 fastest 100 dashes. Meet organizer Wilfried Meert said such a select field is unique.
“This has never happened before,” Meert said.
Bolt will be the center of attention at the 50,000-capacity King Baudouin stadium. The Jamaican won three gold medals and set three world records at the Beijing Olympics last month.
“Usain Bolt, we all know he is on fire right now,” said Gay, who failed to make the final in Beijing and is still slowed by a hamstring injury.
Bolt will be chasing his 100-meter mark of 9.69 seconds, despite a cold and intercontinental travel from Beijing. Last week, Bolt won the 100 in 9.83 seconds in the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, his first competition since the Olympics.
On Tuesday in Lausanne, Switzerland, he eased up well before the finish in his 200 and still tied the fourth-best time at 19.63. He set the world record of 19.30 in Beijing.
Fellow Jamaican Powell ran 9.72 in the 100 in Lausanne, equaling the former world record Bolt set in New York City last May.
Powell’s time was a personal best, and came after a fifth-place finish at the Olympics.
“I’m very happy,” Powell said. “It’s a bit late. But I’m very happy after all that I’ve been through this year.”
Gay isn’t sure how his leg will hold up because of the lingering hamstring injury.
“I don’t think I am as sharp right now, considering my leg, to be very, very, competitive with those guys,” he said, indicating he could still decide to skip the race.
If no human can defeat him, Bolt’s biggest obstacle might be the weather. Forecasts call for rain and cool temperatures.
“It will all depend on the weather, and it doesn’t look too good,” Meert said. “It will be very difficult for the athletes that come out of the heat of Beijing.”
In Tuesday’s meet at Switzerland, Jamaica’s sprinting dominance extended to the women.
Olympic 100 champion Shelly-Ann Fraser confirmed Beijing form with a winning time of 11.03, three-hundredths ahead of her Jamaica teammate Kerron Stewart who had taken silver. Marshevet Hooker of the United States was third in 11.09.
Delloreen Ennis-London, fifth in the 100 hurdles at Beijing, overturned that result with victory in 12.60, three-hundredths ahead of American gold medalist Dawn Harper. LoLo Jones of the U.S., who seemed sure to win the Olympic title before falling near the line, was fourth.
Dayron Robles of Cuba had talked of adding a world record in Lausanne to his Olympic gold medal but suffered a surprising defeat in the men’s 110 hurdles.
David Oliver of the U.S. won in 13.03 as Robles struck two of the final three obstacles, sending the last crashing.
“He’s beaten me three times this year. I’ve beaten him twice,” Oliver said. “Always I was capable of running well. When you come out here and perform, that’s the big thing.”
Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt was another American winner in the 400, with a time of 43.98. Merritt’s teammate in the gold medal-winning 4x400 quartet, Angelo Taylor, the 400 hurdles champion, was second in 44.38.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines