Gatlin throws down the gauntlet to Bolt
THOMPSON CELEBRATES 23RD BIRTHDAY IN STYLE
Controversial US sprinter Justin Gatlin signalled his intention to reign again on the world stage on Sunday, seizing the US 200m title in a blazing 19.57 sec.
The victory at the US Athletics Championships raised the prospect of a mouthwatering double duel with sprint king Usain Bolt at the August 22-30 World Championships in Beijing.
It was a dominant performance, Gatlin coming off the turn with a clear lead and powering home to become the fifthfastest man ever at the distance.
With his career-best performance, the 33-year-old improved on his own prior seasonleading time of 19.68, set on the same Hayward Field track at the Eugene Diamond League meeting in May.
With his 100m berth in Beijing assured by virtue of his 2014 Diamond League title, Gatlin had skipped the 100m at the US Championships. His focus on the 200 paid off handsomely, as over the course of two days he delivered three sub-20 second races: leading Saturday’s heats in a seemingly effortless 19.92 before posting 19.90 in Sunday’s semi-finals.
Complete performance
“I would say it’s the most complete, technically, 200 I ever ran,” Gatlin said of the final — although after an excellent start he was surprised to see training partner Isiah Young in front of him going into the turn. That didn’t last long, as Gatlin swept to the lead, leaving Young to finish second in 19.93 with Wallace Spearmon third in 20.10.
“I’m going to go out there and give 100 per cent effort every time I have an opportunity to do so,” Gatlin said. “If 19.3 is in the scope then I’ll go for that.”
In Kingstown, Jamaica, Elaine Thompson celebrated her 23rd birthday by winning the 200 metres at the Jamaican trials on Sunday, signalling a possible changing of the guard in Jamaican women’s sprints.
Thompson overcame a strong field to win in 22.51 seconds, running into a stiff headwind of 2.4 metres per second and booked her spot on the Jamaican team for the IAAF World Championships in Beijing in August.
Justin Gatlin
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American sprinter