Sprint rivals hoping Bolt will slow down

ROME – Usain Bolt’s 100m sprint rivals admitted Wednesday their only chances of beating him are if the Jamaican legend starts running slower.

The world record holder clocked an unimpressive 10,04sec in Ostrava last week but still managed to win the race, in which current world bronze medallist Kim Collins finished just behind him.Bolt’s time in winning here last year was 9,91sec which is a long way off his world record of 9.58sec but again he was first past the post, with compatriot Asafa Powell two hundredths of a second behind.But rather than believing they can get faster than the double Olympic sprint champion, Bolt’s rivals are simply hoping he’ll slow down.’It’s very complicated, someone was saying to me that in order to beat Bolt I’ll have to run 9.5sec,’ said Collins, the 2003 world 100m champion who is now a veteran on the circuit at the age of 36.’What I explained is that to beat Bolt he has to just go slower than me.’If he goes 9.5sec that day I can’t catch him, I can’t run 9.5sec, that’s not on my plate.’When Bolt runs slow one day, I can beat him.’Collins, though, believes that even if Bolt still finishes out in front, the day is coming when every runner in a race will dip under the magical 10sec barrier.Five men have already broken 9,9sec this year and Collins expects great things at the Olympics.’I’m definitely not surprised (at the times being run) because it’s an Olympic year and for me it’s not just competition, it’s mad competition,’ he said.’This year is going to be special, this year you’re probably going to see eight men in a race under 10sec, so keep watching.’For Powell, there is no secret formula to beating Bolt, it just comes down to running faster than him on the day.’It’s simple if you want to beat Bolt, if Bolt runs 9,79sec, then you run 9,78sec and if he runs 10sec, then you have to run 9,9sec,’ said the relaxed Jamaican.However, he says he doesn’t want to be focusing on Bolt and needs to keep his attention on himself.’I’m not here to compete against Bolt or try to beat any times, I’m here to try to run very fast. The finish line is my target, not Bolt or anyone else.’And the former world record holder says he can’t predict what he will do, he can only turn up and try his best.’I ran 10.04sec in China, or about that, but at this meet I don’t know what I will do.’Unlike some people who say they’re going to break records or run 9,8sec, I can’t do that, I’m a human being, I don’t know what my body will put out.’ – Nampa-AFP