2 July 2008

TYSON GAY believes he can follow up his phenomenal performance at this week’s US trials when he faces Jamaican rival Asafa Powell in London later this month.

The world 100m champion recorded the fastest ever time over the distance on Sunday when securing his place on the American team for August’s Olympic Games in Beijing.

His time of 9.68 seconds was helped by a strong tailwind which means the performance was not counted as a legal world record.

However, the run lays down a real marker ahead of a potentially explosive showdown with Powell at the Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on July 25.

Gay said: “I’ve met my first goal, of making the US 100m team for Beijing. I had begun to believe that I had those sorts of times within me, and now that I know what it feels like I am ready to keep going.

“Crystal Palace is a fast track and I have a great opponent at the Aviva London Grand Prix in Asafa, so I’m sure we will give the fans a great race.”

The Gay v Powell clash is just one of a number of highlights at the Crystal Palace meeting which will be the farewell event for Britain’s athletes before they head to Beijing.

Kelly Sotherton, Phillips Idowu, Nicola Sanders and Christine Ohuruogu will be among Britain’s potential Olympic medallists taking part.

Tickets for the meeting – which takes place over two days, July 25 and 26 – are available by phone on 08000 556 056 or online at www.ukathletics.net