Expected Highlights in Osaka - SPRINTS

Finally in this short series of expected event highlights, we turn our attention to the sprints, which promise some of the most eagerly anticipated face-offs of the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan (25 Aug to 2 Sep).

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In the battle for the title of 'World's Fastest Man,' Osaka will feature the first meeting of the year between the world's two fastest: World record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica and the current top American, Tyson Gay. Each is undefeated in five 100m races this season and each is chasing a first World title

While Powell was clearly the faster of the two last year, Gay quickly picked up where he left off last season. Bar none, Gay was the hottest sprinter of the season's first half, taking the sprint double at the notoriously difficult U.S. championships, both with world-leading 9.84/19.62 performances, and threatened the World record with a wind-assisted 9.76 (+2.2) in New York. For his part, Powell hasn’t been quite as fast (9.90 SB), but has dipped under 10 seconds in three of his five races...

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