Former sprinters mull Bolt, Blake chances in World Championships

CAIRO - 31 July 2017: The World Championships in Athletics starts on August 4 in London. Fans are eyeing the 100m race to decide the world’s fastest man, and former sprinters had a debate about the winning chances.

Donovan Bailey, 1996 Olympic gold-medal-winner in the 100m, is backing Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s chances at winning. He said, “Anyone that bets against Bolt at a major championship isn't smart.”

Ato Boldon, 2000 Olympic silver-medal-winner in the 100m, believes in Yohan Blake’s chances to take the gold medal from Bolt, saying, “If Blake is healthy, he can be a real threat to Bolt. I don't know that anyone else this year has shown me that they can be better than Bolt in the last 50m.”

Bailey, the former 100m record holder, spoke about Bolt’s rivals in the race, saying, “Those athletes have to have a mistake-free race to make (the 100m final) interesting.”

Bolt won three 100m gold medals in three World Championships. He achieved 9.95 seconds in his season best, while Blake clocked 9.90 seconds in his season best. American sprinter Christian Coleman tops the list with 9.82 seconds.