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Rediff.com  » Sports » Gatlin wants world record to himself

Gatlin wants world record to himself

May 18, 2006 13:32 IST
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Justin Gatlin wants the 100 metres world record to himself.

The Olympic and world champion also wants the IAAF to take another look at the timing picture of his race in Doha last Friday that was announced as a world record 9.76 seconds.

The IAAF said on Wednesday that Gatlin's winning time was actually 9.77 seconds, tying but not breaking Asafa Powell's world record.

The governing body said the time was adjusted because officials, after looking at the timing picture, neglected to round up his mark of 9.766 seconds to the next hundredth as required by IAAF rules.

"Any average person would be highly upset with the situation," Gatlin said after a workout at North Carolina Central University in Durham. "It took five days or more to change it."

"It [the time] needs to be re-evaluated once again because it does not seem to be as a professional situation as it could be," he added.

"This is the world record," Gatlin said. "It's not like 9.84 or 9.89 where you can come back and change it.

"It is something that will be under scrutiny every time someone breaks the world record."

Gatlin said he still considers himself the fastest man in the world.

"My job is to go out there and run fast and threaten world records and that's what I plan on doing," he said.

"This will only motivate me to go out there and run faster. I was very upset this morning but that anger turned to motivation. I want to be the first man to run 9.7 twice.

"When I broke the world record my plan was to break the world record again so nothing has changed," he said.

Gatlin and Powell are scheduled to run in separate 100 metres races at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on May 28 before a showdown in Gateshead, England, on June 11.

"Everybody needs to be patient," Gatlin said. "We're trying to put together the best race possible. Neither one of us is scared of the other.

"This matchup, this bout can be one of the greatest in track and field history."

 

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Source: REUTERS
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