Athletics
WORLD champion Ato Boldon and Olympic champion Michael Johnson will race each other over 200m for the first time this year when the Golden League starts in Rome today.
The prospect means that the half-lap race looks set to overshadow the 100m sprint, where world record-holder Maurice Greene is the overwhelming favourite to win.
''Yes I'm going to run the 200,'' Boldon has said this week. ''With Michael Johnson there I've got my work cut out for me. I've already teased Maurice that he's got the easiest job of the two of us here.''
Boldon said he regretted that his decision would deprive the crowd of seeing him run against friend and training partner Greene.
''But it's just not possible for the two best runners in the world to race against each other week in, week out,'' he said.
''Maurice and I pride ourselves on being sprinters rather than 100m runners, and sprinters have to prove themselves over different distances.''
The Trinidadian, who equalled his personal best of 9.86 seconds to beat Greene over 100m at a Grand Prix meeting in Lausanne on Friday, is still suffering minor tendonitis and a back injury caused by a fall.
He is also still smarting from his disqualification for stepping on the line during his 200m victory at the first Golden League meeting in Olso last month.
''I have to get on the track beforehand and go through that turn so that I'm not thinking about it on the night,'' he said. ''I definitely have to feel comfortable with it.
''In nine years I've never had a disqualification of this type. It's just not something that someone of my experience does.''
Boldon still holds the fastest time this year in this event and will start favourite against world record holder Johnson.
''My focus is the 400m,'' Johnson said. ''Whatever happens in the 200m happens.
''Ato's run faster than me this year. My fastest time this year is only 20.07, and that was two months ago.''
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