BRUSSELS – American sprinter Justin Gatlin is unfazed by his losses to Usain Bolt at last month’s World Championships in Beijing and says once he can continue to improve, beating the Olympic and World champion will remain a possibility.
Gatlin entered last month’s World Championships as the favourite in both sprints only to be trounced by the 29-year-old Jamaican superstar.
The 33-year-old Gatlin said he was already eyeing next year’s Olympics in Rio.
“It’s all about growth and getting better and better,” Gatlin said on Thursday ahead of the season-ending IAAF Diamond League meet.
“The margin of the race is getting smaller and smaller. I just have to make sure I step my game up. So next year I hope to do even better.”
While Bolt struggled for form this season, Gatlin wrote all the headlines. He clocked a world-leading 9.74 seconds in Doha in May and then posted another world-leading 19.57 seconds in the 200 metres at the US National Trials in Oregon the following month. (CMC)
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