Injuries and suspensions could give Bolt free 100m ride at worlds

By John Bagratuni Aug 23, 2011, 8:50 GMT

Daegu, South Korea - Unless season leader Asafa Powell shakes off his big-event jitters, Usain Bolt could have a free ride to another 100 metres world title in the absence of several rivals.

American star Tyson Gay will miss the world championships in he South Korean city of Daegu starting Saturday after undergoing hip surgery while compatriot Mike Rodgers and Jamaican Steve Mullings have failed doping tests in recent weeks.

Gay was second in the 2011 rankings, one hundredth of a second behind Powell in 9.79 seconds. Mullings was third on 9.80 and Rodgers fourth on 9.85.

The world and Olympic champion and world record holder Bolt is sixth in 9.88, but given his status, and Powell's failures on the big stage, Bolt is the top favourite in the Jamaican duel to defend his gold.

The Bolt-Gay showdown was to be a major highlight of the championships, but is now off just as a 400 metres meeting between American rivals LaShawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner after Wariner withdrew injured.

Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjuri died in May after either falling or jumping from a second floor balcony, the exact details of his death are not yet known.

Also missing from the marathon competition at the worlds are world record holders Paula Radcliffe of Britain and Haile Gebraselassie of Ethiopia prefer to run in Berlin in late September than at the Daegu championships.

Three defending champions will definitely not be in South Korea: South African 800m runner Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, steeplechaser Marta Dominguez of Spain (childbirth) and German javelin thrower Steffi Nerius (retired).

French triple jump season leader Teddy Tamgho has broken his ankle, Olympic decathlon champion Bryan Clay of the US is also injured and the women's steeplechase takes place in the absence of Gulnara Samitova-Galkina of Russia, as the Olympic champion and world record holder failed to qualify.

However, they all pale compared to Gay, the only serious challenger of Bolt for gold, given the notorious underachieving of the former world record holder Powell on the big stage.

Gay won three world titles in 2007 before Bolt emerged the following year. He beat Bolt last year in a 100m race in Stockholm and with 9.69 seconds is the second-fastest man, with Bolt's world record at 9.58 seconds.

'Disappointed I won't race in Daegu. My hip's been bothering me a for a couple months now,' said Gay when he quit the US trials over the problems in late June and then underwent surgery.

While Bolt and others will be running, Gay is in rehabilitation with his sights firmly set on the London 2012 Olympics.

Wariner will have the same in mind after ending the 2011 season with a torn tendon in his left foot.

'I am disappointed that I will not be able to try to regain the world title in the 400 meters in Daegu,' Wariner said. 'Right now my focus is to get healthy, prepare for the 2012 season and try for my second Olympic gold medal in the 400.'

Wariner, 27, won Olympic 400m gold in 2004 and the world title over the distance in 2005 and 2007. But he was beaten for gold by countryman LaShawn Merritt at the 2008 Olympics and 2009 worlds.

Daegu was to be their first showdown in two years after Merritt's recent return from a 21-month doping ban.