Usain Bolt, universally recognized as the fastest man in the world, was shocked by American sprinter Justin Gatlin earlier this summer at the Golden Gala in Rome. Now, many feel Bolt may be vulnerable to another defeat at the World Championships in Moscow this August.
Bolt, though, is training hard to gear up for the stiff challenge he's sure to face, especially from Tyson Gay who seems confident in his chances. He will run the 200-meter dash Saturday at the Areva Meeting.
"I'm just trying to make sure I get a couple of results before the championships and get the routine right when the championships come because that's what really matters," Bolt said.
The shocking loss in Rome sent tremors through the track and field world, even if Gatlin bested him by a mere one-hundredth of a second. Bolt, though, was not as shocked as the rest of the world was.
"I never said I'm invincible," he said. "When I'm in great shape and I'm at the top of my game, I'm very confident that no one can beat me because I know what I'm capable of. But you can be beaten. There's times when you get injuries, there's times when you're off your game. There's so many different scenarios that can happen."
Gay is looking formidable, though. At a recent Diamond League meet, Gay outran Jamaican Asafa Powell in the 100-meter dash, recording a time of 9.79. Gay looked healthy and fast, which should make for drama in Moscow.
"It felt good. It's all about consistency and staying healthy because that's the key to success at this level," said Gay. "Sometimes you wish you could take advantage of the wind a little more but at the same time I felt good."
At last week's U.S. trials, Gay ran the 100-meter in 9.75 seconds.
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