Bolt not likely to face Gatlin this year

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Shanghai Daily, July 22, 2014
Adjust font size:

Usain Bolt will return to Rio de Janeiro next month to run a special 100 meters on the beach, he said on his website on Sunday, but the Jamaican world record holder is now unlikely to race against Justin Gatlin this year.

The six-time Olympic gold medalist added the August 17 "Mano a Mano" 100 meters on Copacabana Beach to three previously announced races in what he said was his finalized schedule for 2014.

Bolt streaked to victory in a 150 race at the famous Brazil beach in March 2013 on a track specially built for the event.

He has delayed opening his season this year because of a foot injury and will start with a 4x100 relay with his Jamaican teammates at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on August 1-2.

The eight-time world champion will also run 100-meter races in Warsaw, Poland on August 23 and at the Zurich Diamond League meeting on August 28.

The schedule, unless amended, means Bolt and American world silver medalist Gatlin, who is undefeated this year, are unlikely to meet before 2015.

Gatlin, who returned from a four-year doping ban in 2010, will not receive an invitation to race against Bolt in Zurich because of the Swiss meeting's "policy to not invite athletes who have been banned for two years or more", meeting director Patrick Magyar said via email.

While the 100 race in Zurich is not part of the Diamond League series of events, the 200 race at the same meeting will be.

Gatlin could therefore still race in the longer event, because it is governed by Diamond League rules.

"If Gatlin is, by the time of Zurich, in the top three of the Diamond Race (for the 200), we will invite him for the 200, which is our Diamond Race event," Magyar said.

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter