Bolt: I Am Still Number One

He is adamant that moment will never arise. It’s the fastest time in the world this year in the non-Olympic event.

Shorn of a Bolt in top form, the Jamaican’s void has for two seasons been filled by American Justin Gatlin, an unrepentant two-time drugs cheat unbeaten in 23 races.

Kenyas Olympic champion David Rudisha, who broke the world record en route to 800, gold in the Stadium three years ago, lines up over the same distance.

Bolt needed to send a reminder that he is still the fastest man on the planet, even if the torrential conditions precluded the type of time that would send a shot across Gatlin’s bows.

“Its not a nice thing but at the same time, I answered everything that I can and its not in my control, its nothing to do with me, ” Farah told ITV this week. It doesn’t help the sport in any way. “At times, I do get frustrated and raging”.

The 25-year-old has long insisted that he is capable of producing his first sub-10 seconds run this year and will attempt to do just that among an illustrious field which includes Bolt and his Jamaican compatriots Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nesta Carter. “Until I retire, that’s the plan”, he said.

Bolt’s run will have had athletics fans breathing a sigh of relief, with the prospect of Gatlin winning in Beijing one many within the sport will find hard to stomach. “It’s all of our responsibility”.

The 20-year-old, originally from the British overseas territory of Anguilla but cleared to run for GB in June, registered a personal best and the third fastest 200m time in British history to claim an exciting success over Dedric Dukes and South Africa’s Anaso Jobodwana. “It’s really nice when we are racing with these guys because we have a lot of respect and love competing with each other”, Rudisha said. “I am still No1 so until that day I will continue being No1”.

The Briton said that he would not be racing again before defending his world championship 5,000m and 10,000m titles in Beijing.

But he then turned his fire on his contemporary, Gay. He is not yet at the level of American foe Justin Gatlin. “Of course you’re going to want to support him as an athlete”. It really bothers me… However, the finals was a close one as Bolt had to grind and come from behind to beat USA’s Michael Rodgers in a thrilling 100m final by just 0.03sec.

Bolt, though, managed it and then some.

His performance improved what had been an otherwise poor year in which he lurched from one sub-par performance to the next.

Britain’s most glittering star Mo Farah, competing in his first race at home since allegations of doping were made against coach Albert Salazar, won the 3,000m and received same cheers as loud as those to Bolt from the boisterous crowd.

USA Championships champion Dawn Harper-Nelson got home second in 12.64 and world champion Brianna Rollins (12.65) took third.

“I was never number two, I am still number one”.

“When the championship comes, anyone who knows anything about me knows I always show up”.

The Jamaican has been hampered by a pelvic injury this summer and the race is likely to prove a very good indication of what sort of shape he will be in for the global showpiece.

“He works so hard to get where he is for someone’s mistakes to be causing him problems”.

“In the final I got a really bad start and when I got a bad start, I kind of lost the focus for a minute and my form”. The slow times have done nothing to knock his confidence.