BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP) – Donovan Bailey has made his pick for this month’s 100-meter showdown between Asafa Powell and Justin Gatlin.
Bailey, a former Olympic 100-meter champion and world record-holder, is going with Powell. And he thinks the Jamaican will set a world record at the London Grand Prix on July 28.
Powell shares the world record of 9.77 seconds with Gatlin.
“If I went 9.7 that would have been a glorious day, and now he goes 9.7 like it’s nothing,” Bailey told The Associated Press. “Obviously, with him running the perfect race it seems like he can go one-tenth faster.”
Bailey, who was born in Jamaica but ran for Canada, was timed in 9.84 at the 1996 Atlanta Games, still the Olympic record. He hopes Powell stays healthy and continues this “domination by Caribbean sprinters.”
“When you look at how smooth he is and ultimately if he gets stronger in his first 60 meters and can maintain the speed, he can do some amazing stuff,” he said.
Bailey, who was in Barbados as part of a celebrity golf event, said Powell’s running style is often compared to his.
“I had the hitch because of my hip,” he said. “But he’s a lot smoother than I was.”
LOL, doesn’t the whole world except for the non-muslim parts of Africa…but joke aside - I do not see the connection with Bailey’s statement.
Maybe it’s just that they are both born Jamaicans (like so many others: Ben, Linford etc?)
I think Gatlin might be of JA ethnicity also. However, in this case It comes down to who wants it the most and this is where Gatlin has an edge…That Brooklyn-Inner city mentality. If I can’t eat can’t nobody eat!