Friday, 7 September 2012

Bolt and Blake in Brussels Battle


Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake aim to finish the season on a high at Friday's final Diamond League meeting of the year in Brussels.

However, the duo will not compete against each other with Bolt going in the 100m and Blake racing in the 200m.

Blake, who ran 19.26 seconds at the same stadium last year, is chasing another quick time in Belgium.

"My 200m is getting much better," he said. "I kept my body in good condition to finish the season on a high."

The Jamaican, who won 4x100m relay gold and 100m and 200m silver medals at the London 2012 Olympics, ran the joint third fastest 100m last month in Lausanne.

The 22-year-old's time of 9.69 seconds matched American Tyson Gay's mark from 2009 and was just 0.11 outside of Bolt's world record.

Blake also ran the second-quickest 200m in history 12 months ago at Brussels' King Baudouin Stadium, where the track has some of the widest corners on the circuit.

Outside of the Olympics and World Championships, it has seen three of the four fastest 200m times, and three of the overall top 10.

"Everyone remembers Yohan's race because it was a shocker to everyone," said Bolt, who is keen to end his season by lowering his own 100m stadium record of 9.76 seconds.

"My body is getting there but I got one more run in me," he said. "I'm drained now. I'm drawing blanks."

Bolt has already won this year's 100m Diamond League trophy ahead of the 14th and final meet of the season, while fellow Jamaican Nickel Ashmeade has won the 200m competition.

Britain's Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford has pulled out with an injury but his team-mate Chris Tomlinson will feature.

Other British athletes competing in Belgium include pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale, 400m hurdler Perri Shakes-Drayton, 800m trio Marilyn Okoro, Lynsey Sharp and Jemma Simpson, 5,000m runner Julia Bleasdale and 400m sprinter Martyn Rooney.

Top 10 fastest 200m times
19.19 secs - Usain Bolt (Jam) Berlin, 2009
19.26 - Yohan Blake (Jam) Brussels, 2011
19.30 - Usain Bolt (Jam) Beijing, 2008
19.32 - Michael Johnson (US), Atlanta 1996, Usain Bolt (Jam) London, 2012
19.40 - Usain Bolt (Jam) Daegu, 2011
19.44 - Yohan Blake (Jam) London, 2012
19.53 - Walter Dix (US) Brussels, 2011
19.56 - Usain Bolt (Jam) Kingston, 2010
19.57 - Usain Bolt (Jam) Brussels, 2009





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