Bolt, Powell to meet in Stockholm

Source: CBC News

Posted: 07/04/08 12:02PM

Filed Under: Columnists

World-record holder Usain Bolt will meet top rival Asafa Powell in the 100 metres at the DN Galan meet in Stockholm on July 22, 17 days before the start of the Beijing Olympics.

"We are very happy," meet director Rajne Soderberg said Friday. "Powell always liked competing in Stockholm, and Bolt ran in a relay here two years ago."

Bolt, 21, set the world record of 9.72 seconds in New York a month ago, shaving two hundredths of a second off the mark set last year by Powell, 25, who was absent while nursing a chest injury.

Bolt and Powell last met on June 28 at Jamaica's Olympic trials. Bolt won the 100 in 9.85, 0.12 ahead of Powell. Both qualified for the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Games.

Last year, Powell won the 100 at the DN Galan in 10.04. In June he posted a 9.96 at the Trinidad and Tobago national championships, his first meet after returning from a pulled chest muscle.

Powell will run at meets in London and Rome ahead of the Olympics, with Paris and Monaco in the mix as other possibilities.

Bolt is also a gold medal contender in the 200 metres, his favourite distance. He captured silver in the 200 at last year's worlds, and ran a 19.83 - the fastest time this year - in June in the Czech Republic.

Bolt is expected to run the 200 in London and Athens in preparation for the Olympics.

With files from the Associated Press

Usain Bolt, right, defeated Asafa Powell in the 100 metres at Jamaica's national championships in late June.
(Gregory Bull/Associated Press)