American champion Justin Gatlin believes world record holder Usain Bolt is beatable and is determined to set about doing just that come this summer’s Olympic Games, as he looks to restore the United States’ dominance in the sprints.
“A lot of athletes were taken aback by Usain coming up so far so fast. I was able to observe him from afar,” Gatlin told UK online publication Mid Day (mid-day.com). “He’s human. He’s beatable. He has false started before. He’s not perfect.”
Gatlin took gold at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and then the sprint double at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki a year later. However, he was not around to defend the Olympic title in 2008 as he suspended from the sport for four years in 2006 after testing positive for testosterone. In his absence, Bolt has ruled the roost. The Jamaican posted stunning times of 9.69 and 19.30 to take the 100m and 200m titles, at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, before lowering both the current world records of 9.58 and 19.19. At both games the United States once the dominant sprint nation was forced to take a back seat as the Jamaicans swept the 100m and 200m titles for both the men’s and women’s event.
Gatlin booked his ticket back to the Olympics Games yesterday, in comfortable fashion, with a 9.80 clocking to win the 100m event at the United States Trials. Gatlin finished ahead of American record holder Tyson Gay (9.86) and Ryan Bailey who clocked 9.90 to take the third and final Olympic spot.
In fact, the American is unbeaten so far this season and has already recorded wins over Bolt’s compatriots Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter both of who will battle for spots on Jamaica’s national team at this weekend Olympic Trials. However, it is Bolt who has both the season’s best time over 100m 9.79, clocked in Olso in June and 9.76 recorded a month earlier in Rome. Gatlin’s coach Dennis Mitchell, while admitting that Bolt’s best of 9.58 will be tough to beat also does not think the sprinter cannot be stopped.
“We’re planning on them being in that 9.58-area,” said Mitchell, a former US sprint star.
“Whether or not we can get there remains to be seen, but we are working to be our best.
“There is not a guy on the planet who is not beatable,” Mitchell said. “No one is running the perfect race. There are no perfect sprinters out there.”
PLATINUM KIDS 
There are very interesting days ahead in the 100m sprint for men at the London Olympiad. Brother Gatlin seems to be talking up quite a storm and so far he has avoided King Usain, and having NEVER run anythng nearly as fast, yet feels he can beat the champ. I agree Usain is beatable, as anyone can have a bad day on the track. But Usian has proven that he is a championship runner, and truth is last year he was no where near his best, that is why I think he false startred in the 100m, then his time in the 200m was far from flattering, considering the height of the bar he has set. But all in all, London is the place and every eye shall behold it, and every tongue shall confess it too!!!