Athletics: Bolt, Gatlin renew rivalry in 200m
Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin will renew their sprint rivalry in the world championships 200m heats.
BEIJING (AFP) - Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin will renew their sprint rivalry in the world championships 200m heats on Tuesday, two days after their explosive 100m showdown in Beijing.
World record-holder David Rudisha will go for gold in the men s 800m and Genzebe Dibaba is favourite in the women s 1500m in a star-studded programme at the Bird s Nest stadium.
But attention will inevitably focus on Jamaica s Bolt, who narrowly beat two-time doping offender Gatlin in Sunday s 100m final to strike a symbolic blow for clean athletics.
The 200m is Bolt s preferred event and the lanky showman will be seeking a fourth consecutive title after having previously triumphed in Berlin, Daegu and Moscow.
"I went to see my coach (Glen Mills) after the (100m) semi-final and he told me You re thinking about it too much ," Bolt said on Sunday.
"And he is right because I know exactly what to do. I guess this recipe of confidence will also work for the 200m."
Kenya s Olympic champion Rudisha will be up against it in the 800m as he faces tough challenges in the shape of Ethiopian Mohammed Aman, Botswana s Nijel Amos and Bosnian Amel Tuka.
In the women s 1500m, Dibaba looks untouchable after she last month shattered the 1993 world record of China s Qu Yunxia, who trained under the controversial coach Ma Junren.
Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, Sweden s Abeba Aregawi, American duo Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury, and Kenyan Faith Kipyegon look set to battle for lower steps of the podium.
In the men s long jump final, Olympic title-holder Greg Rutherford will fight it out with America s Jeff Henderson and defending champion Aleksandr Menkov of Russia.
"We will need to show a big performance over 8.50m to fight for gold. Jeff Henderson will attack it for sure," said Britain s Rutherford.
Also on day four, there will be a new champion in the men s 400m hurdles after Trinidad and Tobago s defending champion Jehue Gordon failed to make it into the final.
