By Roxanna Scott, USA TODAY
Updated 1h 44m ago
Usain Bolt isn't worried. Not about the 10.04 he ran last week. Not
about his start. And certainly not about a threat from U.S. sprinter
Justin Gatlin.
Bolt
is in Rome preparing for Thursday's Gala Meet, where he'll run the 100.
On Tuesday, the world-record holder in the 100 and 200 was asked about
recent comments from Gatlin.
With American Tyson Gay out recovering from injury, the track world could use a little drama leading up to the men's 100 final in London on Aug. 5. (The U.S. team will be determined at the Olympic trials beginning June 21 in Eugene, Ore.)
On May 11, Gatlin won a 100 in Doha, Qatar, in 9.87, beating Bolt's Jamaican teammate, Asafa Powell (9.88). After the meet, Gatlin said, "I just showed I have a lot of grit and a lot of competition in these old legs."
The 30-year-old, who won the 100 gold at the 2004 Athens Games, returned to the track in 2011 after serving a four-year ban for excessive levels of testosterone. On the topic of a rivalry with Bolt, Gatlin told reporters, "They have watched the Bolt show for a couple of years and they want to see someone else in the mix as well. I'm glad to come up and step up and take charge with that."
On Tuesday, Bolt laughed and responded, according to an Associated Press report, "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but I think Gatlin had his chance. That's a funny thing he said. You can't count out Tyson Gay, and Yohan Blake is back. I think (Gatlin) has a few guys to get past before he worries about me."
See photos of: Usain Bolt
By Kirby Lee, US Presswire
With American Tyson Gay out recovering from injury, the track world could use a little drama leading up to the men's 100 final in London on Aug. 5. (The U.S. team will be determined at the Olympic trials beginning June 21 in Eugene, Ore.)
On May 11, Gatlin won a 100 in Doha, Qatar, in 9.87, beating Bolt's Jamaican teammate, Asafa Powell (9.88). After the meet, Gatlin said, "I just showed I have a lot of grit and a lot of competition in these old legs."
The 30-year-old, who won the 100 gold at the 2004 Athens Games, returned to the track in 2011 after serving a four-year ban for excessive levels of testosterone. On the topic of a rivalry with Bolt, Gatlin told reporters, "They have watched the Bolt show for a couple of years and they want to see someone else in the mix as well. I'm glad to come up and step up and take charge with that."
On Tuesday, Bolt laughed and responded, according to an Associated Press report, "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but I think Gatlin had his chance. That's a funny thing he said. You can't count out Tyson Gay, and Yohan Blake is back. I think (Gatlin) has a few guys to get past before he worries about me."
See photos of: Usain Bolt
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