American sprinter Justin Gatlin is eying for his showdown with world record holder Jamaican Usain Bolt after grabbing the fastest time in the 100M earlier this year. Gatlin has had a rocky career with the highs being record-setting and the lows disgracing the sport he loves. With his 2015 season continuing just as the previous one, a season without Bolt, Gatlin will sprint ahead after posting a 9.74 in Qatar towards the world championships later this summer in Beijing for a rematch against Bolt.
After his win in Doha, Qatar, Gatlin confidently spoke about his successful early season and his ability for even better performances to NBC Sports OlympicTalk:
"My coach said come out and make a statement this season. I don't know what everybody's thinking, but I definitely can go faster. Towards the end of the race, my legs felt a little twingey...My hamstring has been a little twingey for, like, the last half a week. I've had them worked on by my therapist."
If Gatlin believing his latest record of 9.74 seconds in the 100 meters will be topped this summer is any indication of how this season is going to unfold, fans should expect to see quite the matchup against the world's fastest man in Beijing. Bolt is competing but is still recovering from the injuries that kept him out the entire 2014 season. Gatlin told ABC News that it is his job to continue the rivalry with Bolt:
"My job is to push him to be one of the greatest sprinters -- and go out and beat him. It's always been like that."
Will Gatlin be able to take down the world's fastest man? Will either of them be able to put up a new worlds record? Tell us your thoughts below.
