Brussels 100m showdown

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LOOKAS LIKE A 100M SHOWDOWN IS SET FOR BRUSSELS THIS FRIDAY, 5 SEPT 08

BOLT V POWELL (V GAY)

02-09-2008

‘Fantastic show all through the evening’

Organisor Wilfried Meert promises a fantastic show at Belgacom Memorial Van Damme. Including the men’s 100 meter. Take a look at the entire feature on Belgacom Memorial Van Damme TV.
“The men’s 100 meter is highly exceptional as it never happened before in the history of the event that the world’s fastest three men compete in the same race. This is something the entire world will be watching”, Wilfried Meert says about the main event at the Belgacom Memorial Van Damme.

However, the Memorial offers so much more. "The events and athletes we can offer the audience is a truly magnificent one. First and for all because of the girls. The Olympic success of Tia Hellebaut and the 4x400 relay team, but also Kim Gevaert’s farewell, which definitely adds an emotional touch to the evening. Also, this year the Memorial is the final event of the Golden League, and therefore athletes’ performances in Brussels decide on the jackpot. All great things to look forward to. The evening will be filled entirely with fireworks, literally and metaphorically.

\Gay: ‘Will need great power’
The American sprint athlete Tyson Gay is mentally ready to battle it out against Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, but still has a lot of physical worries. “I have been looking forward to this all year, but I can’t make any promises”, he said on Belgacom Memorial Van Damme TV.

Tyson Gay (picture Belga)
“I’m looking forward to it, I’m not a 100 % yet. I don’t know exactly what the outcome will be, how my body is feeling. This is something I have been looking forward to this all year, but I can’t make any promises of what’s gonna happen”, Gay said at the press conference.

Gay is still suffering from an injured hamstring. “Ik denk dat ik door mijn fysieke problemen Bolt en Powell nog niet kan bedreigen”, vermoedt Gay.

“Bolt and Powell both have a lot of confidence right now. I’m just not back to where I was. When I do step in the line against those guys, I definitely want to be a 100%. My legs will need great force, power to even beat those guys”, the American concluded.

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I think this result will help give good information about whether Asafa cracks under pressure or simply can’t run fast after multiple rounds.

This can’t be a good thing for Gay’s confidence.

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Bolts already proven he can go 9.63 with ZERO wind. Once Asafa runs faster, he is by all means, the fastest human ever. once again :cool:

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I think this result will help give good information about whether Asafa cracks under pressure or simply can’t run fast after multiple rounds.

I expect a much better performance by Powell as the type of pressure isn’t the same as it was at the games. The pressure at OG and WC is the pressure of gold. Simply he can not handle it. He wants to be a WC or an OC but he can not do it.

We may see the first race ever with two guys going under 9.7.

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That much I agree with. Prob depends on the elements. But at least (for the time being:rolleyes: ) both Jamaicans are in the same 100m race in Brussels.

Maybe the most likely outcome is that we get to see what Bolt can do when he isn’t horsing around. He said after the Beijing 100 he felt like he could have gone 9.60. Now we might find out.

After Brussels there are only 3 more big meets in Europe - Rieti on Sunday (where Aussie Brian Roe is the co-meet director) - beautiful Zagreb on Tuesday and then the IAAF WAT in Stuttgart Sept 13 & 14.

Time to get it together to run out the season with one last record? Or is that begging for injury? :eek:

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Anyone got the weather report for Brussels- it can be cold as hell there!

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Mid 60s(F) and possible light rain. Hopefully it’s not Gateshead.

Why is Powell running so much now? Gateshead then Lausanne then Brussels then Rieti then then? Basically, why doesn’t he skip Brussels and go for it at Rieti? Can’t pass up the cash I guess. I predict he’s gonna groin-it here soon.

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Those guys are just chillin’ in the hotel. Keep it loose and limber.

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Yes, straight to Rieti would have been my vote. Better weather for sure.

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Making me nervous too thinking about all these fast times he’s been running in a short period of time, assuming he runs Brussels then Rieti.

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its gonna be crazy though…can not wait for the man to once again be the man…

my predictions…

1 - powell = 9.68
2 - Bolt = 9.75
3 - gay = 9.95

:slight_smile:

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if you look at his history then your nervousness is justified. :o

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Given that Bolt and Powell can get to 60 in 6.32 or better in under favorable circumstances - who might fare better in these possible conditions? Will reaction time mean much for either given possible poor atmospheric conditions?

Which running style favors this as well - Powell’s tight hip-under tuck or Bolt’s high COM full lever extension (as best as I could describe for both)?

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That’s mainly why.

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Good description. This race aside, the difference in Style (is is that Technique?) has been of great interest to many. I suspect Bolt’s classic action enables him to maintain his velocity better, whereas perhaps Powell’s pelvic position leads him to bail-out over the last 20m or so of so many of his races…maybe out of self-preservation when he’s pulling himself along at such speeds.

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Athletics. Gay pulls out of sprint showdown
Citizen News Services

Published: Friday, September 05, 2008

World champion Tyson Gay of the United States has pulled out of today’s eagerly-awaited Golden League 100-metres showdown with Olympic champion and world record-holder Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, meet organizers said.

After training yesterday, Gay, who has been dogged by hamstring troubles which sabotaged his Olympic Games in Beijing where he failed to make the final, said he withdrew as he didn’t want to risk further damage.

Gay, who had been due to face the Jamaicans, the year’s two fastest men for the first time in a 100-metre race, injured his hamstring at the U.S. Olympic trials in July. Gay intends to focus on his preparations for defending his 100-, 200- and 4x100-metre titles at the 2009 world championships in Berlin.

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BRUSSELS, Sept 4, 2008 (AFP) - Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt takes on world champion Tyson Gay and Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell in a mouth-watering, first-ever 100 metres clash here on Friday.
Bolt, who stunned the Beijing Olympics with gold medals and world records in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, faces his two rivals who have plenty to prove at the Golden League meeting.
America’s Gay, struggling with a hamstring injury, failed to qualify for the 100m final in China while Powell, the former world record holder, was a disappointing fifth in Beijing.

However, he illustrated he was still a sprinting force by running 9.72sec at Lausanne on Tuesday, just 0.03sec outside the world mark that Bolt set at the Games on August 16.

[b]``It’s not a problem for me, it will make the race more exciting. I can only say I will do my best on Friday,’’ said Bolt as he reflected on Powell’s blistering time in Switzerland.

``After Brussels I want to go back home.[/b] I haven’t been back to Jamaica since the Games and I’m in a hurry.’’

Since Beijing, Bolt has shown no sign of slacking, running 9.83sec in Zurich and 19.63sec for the 200m in Lausanne.

Gay said he is looking forward to it (Friday's race)'' but I’m not at 100 percent yet’’.

The American, who picked up his injury in the 200m at the US Olympic trials in June, had a victorious outing on Sunday at 200m winning in a rainy Gateshead in 20.26sec.

[WELL, AS WE KNOW, GAY HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE BRUSSELS 100M, DISCRETION BEING THE BETTER PART OF VALOUR. HE KNOWS WHAT’S COMING IN THE VAN DAMME MEET! kk]

Bolt has only ever once met Gay over 100m, the Jamaican beginning his current period of ascendancy with a 9.72sec world record in New York in May, ahead of Gay, who ran 9.85sec.
At 200m, the balance remains in Gay’s favour, the world champion having headed the Beijing winner in six of their eight meetings at the longer sprint.
Bolt, a newcomer to the 100m this season, has met the former world record holder Powell on just three occasions in their careers.
He has 2-1 record, with Powell having taken a narrow victory in Stockholm just prior to Beijing.
Powell leads Gay over 100m by 5-1 - his sole defeat coming in the 2007 world championships final.
While that should prove to be the major attraction for the spectators, both Kenya’s 800m Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo and Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic will be looking to seal their share of the million dollar Golden League bonus.
Jelimo has simply been in a league of her own this season and last week in Zurich posted the third fastest time ever, though, she believes that while the world record is within her grasp it will be more likely to come next season instead of this one.
Vlasic is still smarting from her surprise defeat in the high jump final in Beijing - her first loss in 35 meeetings - to Belgian Tia Hellebaut, who wouldn’t mind inflicting another blow to the Croat as she will be performing in front of her home crowd.

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(Sydney) Daily Telegraph
Thursday, September 4, 2008

Bolt and Powell set up a showdown of speed

By Mike Hurst

USAIN Bolt’s boast straight after winning the Olympic 100m that he ``could have run 9.60’’ may be put to the test tomorrow night in an historic sprint showdown in the Golden League meet in Brussels.

Bolt is still in shape … and at last his Jamaican countryman Asafa Powell looks to be catching up after running a personal best 100m of 9.72sec in Lausanne on Tuesday night _ in his 18th race of the year. Powell set his former world record in his 18th race of last year also.

Four months ago that 9.72 would have been a world record.

Powell added: ``After all the problems I have had this year I am really overwhelmed by this performance. To get a personal best is great.’’

Bolt meanwhile ran only the 200m in Lausanne, winning that easing up in 19.63, equal fourth fastest in history.

In Beijing on August 16 Bolt ran a stunning 100m world record _ his second of the year _ prancing the last 10 metres to cross the finish line in 9.69 seconds in Beijing.

On May 31 in New York, Bolt ran his first world record in 9.72 to smash Powell’s mark of 9.77.
But in Beijing Powell was a disappointment, still lacking fitness following surgery to his right shoulder after a weightlifting benchpress misadventure in early June.

The world titleholder, America’s Tyson Gay, also did not recover from a damaged hamstring in the 200m following his US record 100m run of 9.77 at the US team trials in early July. Gay failed to reach the Olympic 100m final, in which Powell was fifth.

Now after Lausanne, even with Powell in 9.72 shape, it would take a brave man to bet against Bolt but at least he will now be under the sort of pressure to bring out the very best in him.

The men's 100 meter is highly exceptional as it never happened before in the history of the event that the world's fastest three men compete in the same race,'' Wilfried Meert, the Brussels meet director and former journalist said. This is something the entire world will be watching.’’

Indeed, this could be the showdown Beijing promised but failed to deliver.

Brussels is the fourth-last major meet of the year, so opportunities to run fast are fast running out.

If the elements are against them in Brussels, the next best chance to go quick looks to be this Sunday in Rieti, just north of Rome, where Powell regrouped last season to run his previous world record of 9.77 in his heat. Highly regarded Australian Brian Roe is meet director in Rieti.

Zagreb follows on Tuesday and the European season ends with the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart on September 13 and 14.

For the eighth successive year, Kingston coach Stephen Francis has guided Powell to a personal best in the 100m.

Yet even a victory tomorrow night for Powell will do nothing to ease the pain of yet another “failure” in a major championship. His only medal in a global event was his bronze in last year’s world championship in Osaka. Two weeks later he ran 9.74 in Rieti in his 18th race of the year.

[b]Francis took onboard the idea that Powell’s peaking in his 18th race was more than a coincidence and brought him to Australia in January to start the countdown.

But Powell cut his knee the day before flying to Australia and ran just once while here.

The ruptured shoulder tendon then gave him no chance of matching his personal time-line to the Olympic schedule.[/b]

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Bolt wins in 9.77.

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Has SF acknowledged that? :confused: