Gateshead showdown off

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EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - A proposed 100 meters showdown between co-world record holders Asafa Powell of Jamaica and Justin Gatlin will not take place at Gateshead, England, next month, the American’s manager said on Saturday.

``It’s officially off,’’ Renaldo Nehemiah told Reuters in an interview in Eugene, where the two sprinters are scheduled to run separate 100 meters races on Sunday.

Nehemiah said he never had a contract for Gatlin to run a 100 meters against Powell at the June 11 Gateshead meeting.

``Justin’s contract gave him the option of running the 100 or 200 meters,’’ Nehemiah said.

He added that meeting director Ian Stewart acknowledged the point but thought he had the green light to stage the showdown after Gatlin told Stewart last month, ``I’ll run anybody, anywhere.’’

Stewart then signed a contract with Powell to run a 100 meters , Nehemiah said, ``but he never had a contract with me for that.’’

A race between the two became a hot item after Gatlin earlier this month tied Powell’s world record of 9.77 seconds.

``I offered for Justin to run the 200 there, but that was rejected,’’ Nehemiah said.

I offered to have a similar two-heat situation like we have here (in Eugene),'' Nehemiah added after holding a meeting with Stewart on Saturday. He rejected that.’’

As a result, Gatlin will not run in Gateshead, Nehemiah said. ``There was really nothing else I could offer at that point,’’ he added.

Stewart was not immediately available to comment.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/sports/sports-athletics-showdown.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

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Gatlin dont want to lose his dignity when beaten by Asafa,

He can’t run away for ever.

And for the agent, its all about the cash isn’t it?

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Renaldo Nehemiah is a loser and a crap agent. WTF gatlin dont be a pussy and race. This smells like a huge load of bs

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also, Asafa Powell, and his camp i think kind of knew this was gonna happen, Justin Gatlin is scared to of him, he knows it the damage will be done at 50, Powell display a too complete race, when he puts it together.

Justin Gatlins camp are playing it very clever, i mean us Track fans know, that Justin Gatlin is’nt the Main Man. But as long as these two guys don’t meet up. All we are gonna hear about is Justin Gatlin, how he won the Olympics, and worlds.

He is managing himself very good. Oh and yes, what a different Justin Gatlin we see now, from last year.

After Crystal Palce

“I will race Asafa Powell, anytime and anywhere, he brings out the best in me”

Personally Justin Gatlin is not injured, he is not in Hospital, and he must of been getting some money.

This tells me, that he is scared, the Gatlin camp are. They know he will be beaten on June 11, OVER AT 50. And as soon as he is beaten, he is not in control. The Powell camp are.

And Justin Gatlins camp don’t want that, there gonna try and make a massive PAY DAY.

This is basically saying to the rest of the world, if you want us to race, YOUR GONNA HAVE TO PAY US A MILLION.

Biggest PAYDAY IN HISTORY, FOR ONE SINGLE RACE. I THINK THEY SHOULD TURN IT INTO THE

DONOVAN BAILEY V MICHAEL JOHNSON 150M FASTEST MAN IN THE WORLD.

WHY NOT???

I am not impressed with Justin Gatlin thinking he is the Main man, asking people to train with him, and all that.

Never befor has there been so many questions of who is the man, after 2004 olympics, and still after 2005 world champs.

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Like Asafa said: “Gatlin is a coward”

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Lets look at it from a coaching perspective, if i was Justin’s coach and i know my athlete is not ready to take on the worlds best, i would back him out because Powell might destroy him on and off track if you know what i mean. So maybe we need to give him time…

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If Gatlin and his coach knew that he was not “ready” to face Powell then why was Gatlin going around the place making statements like:``I’ll run anybody, anywhere.’’ If he knew he couldnt back it up!!!? STEWPS!

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The Gateshead showdown between joint 100m world record holders Justin Gatlin and Asafa Powell is off after Gatlin’s manager pulled his client out.

The 11 June meeting would have been the first time the two had raced since Gatlin equalled Powell’s time of 9.77secs earlier in May.

Gateshead race director Ian Stewart said Gatlin’s manager Renaldo Nehemiah had gone back on the contract.

But Nehemiah said a race with Powell had not been part of the deal.

“Clearly we are not happy and we feel there was a break in trust,” said Stewart.

"We have a contract, it’s a three-meet contract and he is in breach of the contract.

“They said it’s too cold, it’s too early, (and) they are not coming.”

But Nehemiah said there had not been a binding contract requiring Gatlin to run in the 100m.

“We had an agreement to run there, but that agreement didn’t include Powell,” he said.

"Justin’s contract gave him the option of running the 100m or 200m.

“If he (Stewart) had called me after he had talked to Justin and said he would like to invite Powell, I would have said that it is not going to happen.”

The breakdown leaves meetings in Athens on 3 July or in London on 28 July as possible locations for the much-hyped first race of the year between Gatlin and Powell.

Earlier this month, Nehemiah told the USA Today newspaper that he wanted to make sure that Powell and Gatlin did not race too many times in order to maintain public interest in the two fastest men in the world.

“Everybody’s clamouring for the first meeting,” Nehemiah told USA Today.

"I would say they’ll meet this year maybe two times. Maybe once (but) no more than three times.

“We’re trying to do our part as far as keeping interest and buzz in our sport as to when these guys will meet, ideally culminating in the world championships next year when it really matters.”

The pair last met in London last year, but Powell pulled up after a few strides with a groin problem.

Gatlin, the world and Olympic champion, has signed up to race in London and Birmingham (19/20 August) this year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/5024408.stm

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This is business. Gateshead is trying to get the benefits of the match race without paying extra and the agent has found an out to either force them to pay or set it up for big bucks elsewhere. Asafa can bitch out loud, but, I suspect he’s happy cause this means a lot more dollars for him too.
One thing for sure. Gatlin is NOT a coward and my money’s on him unless Asafa has developed dramatically since last year.

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Charlie you really know how it works. I really hope someone will be ready to pay for what is to be the greatest show down since ben and carl.

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he isnt a coward???

So why is he telling: “lets run on the moon, i m the best”.
Thats just ridiculous.
I hope he is quite, at least and waits for his money :cool:

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No disrespect Charlie but…I have to disagree with this statement. After watching hundreds of hours of film of these two sprinters I believe that at the end of the day Asafa will have run a faster time. Gatlin has improved his technique from the waist down compared to last year (i.e. he now steps over in such a way that the recovery leg is nicely tucked under the hip with the shin parallel to track.) Powell has already acquired this technical aspect (thats why so many people who don’t know whats actually happening say "he sprints from the front). When Gatlin reaches top speed, his hips remain slightly back which causes his foot to strike with the knee fairly bent. This way of running clearly cuts off his natural stride length. Or as you put it “the extra 1.5 inches forward”. The initial 60 meters for both Gatlin and Powell is weak compared to other sprinters and should be addressed. Honestly though, Gatlin will not be able to beat another sprinter who has a stronger initial 60 meters and can hold on (Olu). If Powell has improved his acceleration (out to 60m) he will run a faster time. Olu will put Gatlin in his place (second) if PJ can get him to improve top speed and hold on. I’m sure that after the semi’s against Olu, the thought must have crossed Gatlin’s mind that he may not win and he barely did. Gatlin’s World record tying race exposed a huge weakness to his competitors (i.e. the same scenario with Ben and Carl). Who can get to the line faster?

I do however believe that Gatlin is stronger mentally and that in a head to head race, Gatlin would be abe to stay within his own race if he relaxes.

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If Asafa is the sprinter he’s been, he’ll have the results he’s had. If he’s better, we’ll see soon enough.

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Just read a rumour that the match race might happen in Athens. Oh Boy! Now that’s the kind of showdown I’d like to see! The two fastest guys on the fastest track!!
That’s a recipe for another world record if I’ve ever seen one- and sure beats the hell out of seeing them battle it out in galoshes in Gateshead. Ben wiped out Christie there in 1987 by more than three tenths- Balls to the wall in 10.45!!

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Definetly. Thats the place on earth where they should meet.
Hopefully the stadium full this time.

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I believe too, that Asafa is not fully back yet, but we all know where Gatlins limits really are and that he will not run under 9.80 under legal conditions this season (as he never did yet - we all know what really happened in Doha).

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What happened? :confused:

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yeah, what happened really?

I m still confused about this race, but i think what “really happened” isnt possible to say, or where you there?
You know that: in dubio pro reo :smiley:

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Well I do not want to start these arguments again (I’ll make myself a persona non grata on this board), but a lot of people who were there said the wind was surely above the allowed +2.0

It was extensively discussed in various boards on the net, too.

Look at the flags at the abck and look times of the first five in the Doha final (Gatlin - Fasuba - Crawford - Tramell - Henry) and look at the times they ran before and after the Doha meet, even with illegal (!) tailwind. None of them ran close to the time BEFORE AND AFTER in 2006.
I’d call that more than a very suspicious statistical aberration at least - and I did not hear one good exlplanation for that, yet.

But I know miracles happen: they all peaked on May 12th and after the fastest run of their life (and/or season) they are exhausted - plz, come on…

Add a 0.05 - 0.07 to the time and you get a good idea what was really possible under legal conditions.

Mabybe I’m wrong, I am always willing to learn and listen to the best argument, but end of the season I’ll take all results for the 5 guys, draw a line chart for all 5 and if there is one peak in the charts for all 5 for the May 12th performance I take my view as proven…

Forgive me PJ - Fasuba still had a tremendous developement and is on his way up.

But who (besides Asafa and his fans) cares about reality - big publicity for the sport, Doha got it’s WR, (almost) everybody believes they have the fastest track there, the money wheel is spinning - we all know the game.

We should accept Gatlins achievement just like we have to accept a jury’s verdict in a boxing fight or a offside decision or a red card in soccer. A sub 9.85 even with +2.5 is a great performance.
Gatlin is a fine sprinter and Asafa has a lot left to prove this season.

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I am not a fan of Gatlin and i have second thoughts on that Doha stuffs but as long as it is approve by IAAF, i will take it under my chin and if i ever see Gatlin i will congrats him and ofcourse Fasuba. I know people that were present and they game me there word that the wind was +1.7 so guys come on…