Bolt eyes 100m record against fastest field ever in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt will run the 100 meters in the fastest field ever assembled Friday, seeking to break the world record for the third time this season.

At the Van Damme Memorial, the Olympic champion will face Asafa Powell, the former record-holder who matched the second-fastest 100 of all time on Tuesday, and Tyson Gay, the world champion.

They are the three fastest all-time, and have posted the 10 fastest 100 dashes. Meet organizer Wilfried Meert said such a select field is unique.

"This has never happened before," Meert said.

Bolt will be the center of attention at the 50,000-capacity King Baudouin stadium. The Jamaican won three gold medals and set three world records at the Beijing Olympics last month.

"Usain Bolt, we all know he is on fire right now," said Gay, who failed to make the final in Beijing and is still slowed by a hamstring injury.

Bolt will be chasing his 100-meter mark of 9.69 seconds, despite a cold and intercontinental travel from Beijing. Last week, Bolt won the 100 in 9.83 seconds in the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, his first competition since the Olympics.

On Tuesday in Lausanne, Switzerland, he eased up well before the finish in his 200 and still tied the fourth-best time at 19.63. He set the world record of 19.30 in Beijing.

Fellow Jamaican Powell ran 9.72 in the 100 in Lausanne, equaling the former world record Bolt set in New York City last May.

Powell's time was a personal best, and came after a fifth-place finish at the Olympics.

"I'm very happy, after all that I've been through this year," Powell said.

Gay isn't sure how his leg will hold up because of the lingering hamstring injury.

"I don't think I am as sharp right now, considering my leg, to be very, very, competitive with those guys," he said, indicating he could still decide to skip the race.

If no human can defeat him, Bolt's biggest obstacle might be the weather. Forecasts call for rain and cool temperatures.

"It will all depend on the weather, and it doesn't look too good," Meert said. "It will be very difficult for the athletes that come out of the heat of Beijing."

------------
© 2008 by STATS LLC.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC is strictly prohibited.