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Usain Bolt - Source: Reuters -
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Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay, the world's two fastest men ever over
100 metres, will race in New York, London and Brussels next year,
athletics sources said on Thursday.
The sources said former world record holder Asafa Powell would take
part in the European races and could join the pair in New
York.
New York's meeting is set for June 12, London is scheduled for Aug.
13-14 while Brussels concludes the new Diamond League's 14-meeting
season on Aug. 27.
Neither the International Association of Athletics Federations
(IAAF), the athletes' representatives nor organisers have confirmed
their Diamond League schedules, but Gay said over the weekend: "I
will be racing Bolt at least three times."
Bolt and Gay last met in a non-championship 100 metres at New York
in 2008 where Jamaican Bolt set the first of his three 100 world
records. He also holds the 200 metres mark.
Bolt, American Gay and Jamaican Powell swept the three world
championship medals in Berlin last August.
All three are under contract to the Diamond League to appear in
seven races on the circuit, which will replace the six-meeting,
European-based Golden League.
Each of the 14 Diamond League meetings is guaranteed at least one
of the three sprinters with several having two and a select few all
three.
Bolt and Gay are likely to include both 100 and 200 metres races in
their seven-competition schedules with Powell running the shorter
distance exclusively.
"Everyone in the entire world wants to see the three of us together
a lot more so it's going to happen," Powell said at a weekend
launch of the Diamond League in Monaco.
Bolt added: "It's going to be awesome so, people, look out,"
Circuit organisers are not likely to begin announcing athletes'
schedule until late this year or early next year, IAAF spokesman
Nick Davies said.
"We are still working on Usain's schedule," his agent Ricky Simms
said in a telephone interview. "I can confirm he will run in seven
races."
Gay's schedule depends on the American record holder's recovery
from recent groin surgery, manager Mark Wetmore said.
"We are really not in position to make final confirmation about his
meets until after the first of the year," Wetmore said via
telephone. "He is very interested in running the two US
meets."
The US meetings are Eugene, Oregon, on July 3 and New York.
Powell will help inaugurate the Diamond League season with a 100
metres race in Doha on May 14, his agent, Paul Doyle, told
Reuters.
Other meetings are planned for Shanghai, Oslo, Rome, Lausanne,
Gateshead, Paris, Monaco, Stockholm, Zurich and Brussels.
