By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
The three kings of sprinting will meet, appropriately enough, at London's Crystal Palace on Aug. 5.
Canadian stars Donovan Bailey and Bruny Surin have signed a deal to run against defending 100-metre world champion Maurice Greene at the British Grand Prix, a little more than a month before the ultimate showdown at the Sydney Olympics. Bailey is the defending Olympic champ and Surin placed second to Greene at last year's worlds in Seville.
It's rare in an Olympic year for the top sprinters in the world to agree to meet prior to the Games, but Bailey, who also races tonight at the Nikaia Grand Prix in Nice, France, looks forward to the challenge.
"I'm not worried at all about meeting those guys before the Olympics. It gives me a chance to learn about people's strengths and weaknesses," Bailey said yesterday.
Bailey, 32, has been showing his best form since his career-threatening Achilles tendon injury in 1998, nailing a surprising time of 9.98 seconds in Lucerne, Switzerland on June 26, although he followed that with a disappointing 10.12 last weekend in Lausanne.
Greene, 25, is still considered the man to beat in the 100 metres in Sydney, having posted a world record time of 9.79 last June in Athens. The brash American also has the best time this season, a 9.91 on May 13 in Osaka, Japan.
Surin, who is currently back training in Austin, Tex., has yet to round into his best form this year, although he did post a decent 10.08 on June 16 in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. Surin, 32, set a personal best (9.84) in winning a silver at last year's worlds.
Bailey said yesterday that he also would run a couple of 200s this year, although he ruled out the possibility of attempting to qualify for Canada's Olympic team in the event.
"I know my coach (Dan Pfaff) wants me to run the 200, but that's twice as far as I want to run," he said.
"Running the 200 is like running 10 miles to me."
Pfaff believes Bailey could excel in the 200, given his lanky body type and late acceleration.
