Athletics - Bolt, Gay will not catch me - Powell

By Gene Cherry

BEIJING (Reuters) - Former world record holder Asafa Powell says Jamaican compatriot Usain Bolt and American world champion Tyson Gay will not run him down if he takes the lead in their anticipated Olympic 100 metres final showdown.

"A lot of people are saying Usain and Tyson are very strong finishers but if I get out in front of them no matter how they are finishing, they won't even close on me," Powell told reporters on Tuesday.

Competition in the 100 metres begins on Friday with the final on Saturday.

"I did some great things in practice for the past couple of weeks," Powell said. "This is the first time I've seen my coach so excited. So all I have to do is go there and just be like I was in the last two races and I do it."

Powell edged Bolt by a one-hundredth of a second in their final pre-Olympics meeting in Stockholm, then clocked a season's best 9.82 seconds to win the Monaco Grand Prix race.

That time made Powell the third-fastest sprinter of the year behind Bolt's world record of 9.72 seconds and Gay's American record 9.77 seconds.

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