Usain Bolt returns to the Olympic Stadium on Friday night in search of a performance to make Justin Gatlin anxious – and athletics fans a little less so.
The Jamaican, who has been hampered by a pelvic injury this summer, races for the first time in almost six weeks when he goes over 100 metres at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games and will be out to prove he will be fit enough to challenge Gatlin, twice suspended for doping, for gold at the World Championships in Beijing in a month’s time.
The 33-year-old American – not invited to the London Diamond League meeting because of his controversial past – is the hot favourite for the title in China.
He has run the four fastest times of the year in the 100m and 200m, his world-leading marks of 9.74 seconds and 19.57secs towering over Bolt’s season’s bests of 10.12s and 20.13s respectively.
The prospect of a seemingly unrepentant two-time doper standing atop the podium is one many in the sport find hard to stomach, but world record holder Bolt has no worries that he will be able to deliver on the big stage.
“I never doubt myself,” he said. “I never worry about one person. I know he’s been doing good this season, but I’m not worried.
“When the championship comes, anyone who knows anything about me knows I always show up. As long as I’m in great shape they’ll be no worries.
“It just takes one run to get to 9.7, so I’m not worried about times.”
The rain forecast will not play into Bolt’s hands on Friday and, should he fail to recover his best form in Beijing, there remains the real prospect of the gold, silver and bronze medals in the 100m going to athletes who have served drug bans.
Gatlin’s American teammate Tyson Gay, who was banned after testing positive for an anabolic steroid, is back running under 9.9, while Bolt’s compatriot Asafa Powell, who served a suspension following a positive test for a banned stimulant, is ranked second in the world this year with 9.81.
And Bolt admits he gets angry that the actions of a minority put the whole sport under a cloud.
He said: “Yes, definitely, especially throughout the years when you work hard and the sport’s getting back a good reputation and then it slides back when other athletes decide they want to do the wrong thing.
“It does upset me, because then everybody starts pointing fingers again and starts speculating. It doesn’t help the sport in any way, at times I do get frustrated and angry.”
Bolt believes it is not his responsibility alone to be the “saviour” of athletics.
The Jamaican is the one cast in that role, though, and, asked if a win for Gatlin in Beijing would be bad news for the sport, he laughed and said: “I’m not planning to lose so I can’t really answer that question.”
Gay remains the athlete with whom Bolt has the biggest gripe.
“I competed with Tyson throughout the years,” he said. “I had so much respect for him as a competitor, I looked at him as one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever competed against.
“He was dedicated, he worked hard. That’s one of the ones that really hurt me. It really hurts as an athlete to know that the person you really look up to is banned for drugs.
“Justin Gatlin was before my time. I’m not saying it’s right, but it happened when I was just coming into the sport.”
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