Justin Gatlin insisted he was not thinking about beating Usain Bolt to gold at the World Championships later this year after another stunning win in the 100 metres.
The American won in 9.75 seconds at the Diamond League meeting in Rome, just 0.01sec slower than his world-leading time set in Doha last month, and lowered Bolt’s meeting record by the same amount in the process.
France’s Jimmy Vicaut and another American, Michael Rodgers, were Gatlin’s closest competitors but they both finished 0.23sec behind the winner.
And Gatlin, a controversial figure after serving two drugs bans in his career, is now looking like six-time Olympic champion Bolt’s only real competition in Beijing in August.
“This meeting is like the end of the first part of the season and now I am heading home and after the trials I will have a month to train and to spend with my son and my family,” he said.
“That will help me keep in shape for Beijing. I want to stay injury free and in the best shape for 2016 and the year after.
“The key thing to keep winning is to not think about it, I do not think of beating Usain Bolt because the championships are not tomorrow, we still have some time to come.”
He added: “Rome is a tradition, I am glad I had a good start and managed to execute the first 60 metres to be confident with the victory – 9.60 should be possible in the summer.”
Great Britain’s Shara Proctor finished second in the long jump with a leap of 6.85m, 4cm behind winner Darya Klishina, while Tiffany Porter also finished on the podium in the 100m hurdles.
The 27-year-old finished third in 12.69sec behind Americans Sharika Nelvis and Dawn Harper-Nelson, reports The Guardian.
Laura Muir just missed out on the podium as she finished fourth in the 1500m while Bianca Williams was sixth in the 200m.
Thomas Barr set a new Irish record in the 400m hurdles, finishing fourth in 48.65sec to take 0.25sec off the record he set in Geneva last year.
The American won in 9.75 seconds at the Diamond League meeting in Rome, just 0.01sec slower than his world-leading time set in Doha last month, and lowered Bolt’s meeting record by the same amount in the process.
France’s Jimmy Vicaut and another American, Michael Rodgers, were Gatlin’s closest competitors but they both finished 0.23sec behind the winner.
And Gatlin, a controversial figure after serving two drugs bans in his career, is now looking like six-time Olympic champion Bolt’s only real competition in Beijing in August.
“This meeting is like the end of the first part of the season and now I am heading home and after the trials I will have a month to train and to spend with my son and my family,” he said.
“That will help me keep in shape for Beijing. I want to stay injury free and in the best shape for 2016 and the year after.
“The key thing to keep winning is to not think about it, I do not think of beating Usain Bolt because the championships are not tomorrow, we still have some time to come.”
He added: “Rome is a tradition, I am glad I had a good start and managed to execute the first 60 metres to be confident with the victory – 9.60 should be possible in the summer.”
Great Britain’s Shara Proctor finished second in the long jump with a leap of 6.85m, 4cm behind winner Darya Klishina, while Tiffany Porter also finished on the podium in the 100m hurdles.
The 27-year-old finished third in 12.69sec behind Americans Sharika Nelvis and Dawn Harper-Nelson, reports The Guardian.
Laura Muir just missed out on the podium as she finished fourth in the 1500m while Bianca Williams was sixth in the 200m.
Thomas Barr set a new Irish record in the 400m hurdles, finishing fourth in 48.65sec to take 0.25sec off the record he set in Geneva last year.
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