ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Venue: Olympic Stadium, Berlin Date: 15-23 August
Triple Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt is relishing the prospect of a 100m showdown with American Tyson Gay at the World Championships in Berlin.
World record holder Bolt and Gay, who has set 2009's fastest 100m time, have not faced each other yet this season.
"I wouldn't say I've followed him, but he's hard to ignore as he keeps telling me how fast he runs," said Bolt.
"It's not a fight for me, it's a race. I am just competing. Who is faster? I am going to say me."
Gay, meanwhile, has said he is "preparing for battle" ahead of the pair's expected mouth-watering clash in Sunday's 100m final.
The defending world champion endured a miserable Olympics in 2008 after rushing back to competition from a debilitating hamstring injury, but he is now back to form and aiming to break Bolt's world record of time of 9.69 seconds en route to claiming gold in Berlin.
"If breaking the world record is what it takes to win the 100m, that is what I will have to do and he will try to do the same," said the 27-year-old.
"The world record is the only number I have in mind, I want to win more than anything, but I want to run fast.
"I don't want to run 9.99 and people say it wasn't fast. I believe 9.60 is obtainable - that is my goal."
After taking the Beijing Olympics by storm last year, winning the 100m and 200m in world record times and also claiming victory as part of Jamaica's 4x100m relay team, Bolt has continued his impressive form in 2009.
The burden of expectation will be firmly on Bolt's shoulders, but the sprinter says he will be attempting to better his Beijing performances.
"Expectations are going to be higher here than Beijing, but I am ready to go and do my best," he said. I know what I did there and I know the high responsibility which comes with it, I am working hard to do better than last year.
"I would love to do better than the Olympics, just going out there and winning is enough for me.
"These championships are very important for me as I haven't got a world gold medal and it's something I want.
"I'm itching to run right now. I'm looking forward to it and I can't wait.
"I'm always ready to go out there and do my best."
Bolt and Gay may be separated by just two-hundredths of a second in terms of their fastest times this season, but they could hardly be more different in their approach to the sport.
"I would love to do better than the Olympics, just going out there and winning is enough for me.
"These championships are very important for me as I haven't got a world gold medal and it's something I want.
"I'm itching to run right now. I'm looking forward to it and I can't wait.
"I'm always ready to go out there and do my best."
Bolt and Gay may be separated by just two-hundredths of a second in terms of their fastest times this season, but they could hardly be more different in their approach to the sport.
"He's exciting and we both bring our own styles to the race."
Also competing in the 100m will be Bolt's fello Jamaican Asafa Powell - beaten comprehensively by his compatriot at the London Grand Prix last month - and Brit Simeon Williamson.
Williamson, 23, crushed Dwain Chambers in the UK trials, running
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