Big crowd for the Big Shot in central Stockholm (© Deca Text&Bild)
Stockholm, Swedenday break, the Samsung Diamond League resumes on Friday with the DN Galan at Stockholm’s Historic Olympic Stadium where the primary attention will focus on pure, raw speed.
As was the case in the first 10 Samsung Diamond League fixtures, there will be stacked fields throughout the three-and-a-half hour long international programme, but this time the spotlight will fall clearly on the shortest race of the evening where Diamond League Ambassadors Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay, the two fastest men in history, will finally square off in the 100m for the first time this year.
The year’s most heavily anticipated showdown suffered a setback with Asafa Powell’s withdrawal last night due to injury, but nonetheless marks the first time that the duo will meet on the track since last year's World Championships in Berlin. Bolt set the World record in the German capital, clocking an astounding 9.58, with Gay second in 9.71, then a US record, which he later improved to 9.69.
At the moment, Jamaicans Bolt and Powell share the world lead at 9.82 with Gay lagging a bit behind having clocked 9.94 in his only 100m start this season. Friday’s race, with pair of heats scheduled about 90 minutes before the final, will be only the third time in their careers that Bolt and Gay go head head-to-head in the 100m.
Of particular interest this weekend are the pair’s recent experiences at Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium: Bolt’s last loss at 100m, back on 22 July 2008, was here when he finished second to Powell by a scant 0.01. Gay meanwhile is the defending DN Galan champion, clocking a wind-assisted 9.79 last year.
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