Gay unfazed by Bolt threat to world titles

By Paul Virgo

ROME (Reuters) - Tyson Gay said he was unfazed by the threat Olympic champion Usain Bolt posed to his 100 and 200 meters titles at next month's world athletics championships.

Gay said he was "100 percent" confident of defending his crowns in Berlin after recovering from the hamstring injury that hampered his preparations for last year's Olympics, in which Jamaican Bolt set world records to win both events.

"I look at him like another competitor," American Gay told a news conference Thursday on the eve of the Golden Gala in Rome, where he goes head to head with Bolt's compatriot Asafa Powell, the former 100m world record holder.

Gay replied "Yes" when asked if he thought he could keep his 100m crown even if Bolt repeated the record time of 9.69 he produced to win the Beijing Olympics.

The American has started the season well, running a wind-assisted 9.75 seconds in the 100m at the U.S. world championships trials and 19.58 in the 200m, the third fastest time ever.

But he conceded that Bolt looked impressive this week in running 19.59 for the 200 in Lausanne in torrential rain.

"Considering the conditions -- it was raining, wind in his face, cold -- he looked pretty good," Gay said.

Powell did not betray any nerves about taking on Bolt.

"It's the same here. Usain is just another competitor," said Powell, who was part of Jamaica's Olympic winning relay team with Bolt.

"He ran 9.69, which showed we can go under 9.70. Once it was me when I ran 9.74. He set a mark for us.

"We know it'll take faster than 9.69. We know what it takes to win."

ANKLE INJURY

Powell said he was not back to his best despite winning the 100m in last week's Golden League meeting in Oslo because of the ankle injury he suffered in training over two months ago.

"It's about 85 percent better," he said.

America's Damu Cherry will not be able to keep alive her hopes of landing the $1 million Golden League jackpot after winning the first two women's 100m hurdles.