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Bolt ready for Worlds

August 20, 2015

As Usain Bolt returns to the famous Bird's Nest Stadium, a new test stands in front of the Jamaican great. However, his expected battle for the top with Justin Gatlin has been overshadowed by mass doping allegations.

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China Peking Leichtathletik Weltmeisterschaften 2015 Usain Bolt
Image: Getty Images/A. Lyons

The World Athletics Championships begin in Beijing on Saturday with the center of attention Usain Bolt immediately in action. The Jamaican does not see himself as the saviour of the sport currently enveloped in serious doping allegations as he faces two-time offender Justin Gatlin.

Bolt has been the star attraction of athletics since he won three gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in the Chinese capital before going on to enjoy more success at London 2012. However, the majority of questions were on a subject that made the 29-year old sad.

"It's really taken centre stage," Bolt said. "All I've been hearing over the last few weeks is doping, doping, doping. Initially I'm running for myself, because that's what I do. People say I need to win for the sport, but there are a lot of other athletes who are running clean," the 100 and 200m world record holder explained.

The Jamaican has had two slow seasons by his standards, only recently returning to post a season-best 9.87 seconds over 100 metres, a way back from American rival Justin Gatlin's time of 9.74 seconds. Bolt, however, says he is ready to defend the double title he won in Moscow at the last championships.

"I am in great form, I am running well and my start is coming together at the right time," Bolt said. "I am ready to go."

The towering Jamaican gets his campaign for glory underway in Saturday's heats, the opening day of the tournament, which runs until August 30. Gatlin, who has not been put forward for press duty by Nike or Team USA, also goes to work on Saturday in Beijing.

Robert Harting
Robert Harting is absent from this year's world championshipsImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Michael Kappeler

Germany out to improve on 2008

After seven medals at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow (four gold, two silver and one bronze), the German Athletics Federation (DLV) is hoping that a return to Beijing won't bring back memories of the 2008 Olympic disaster.

"We can look at it positively now. Beijing was the start of the resurrection of sports development of German Athletics," DLV president Clemens Prokop told reporters on Thursday.

Three of the four German world champions from Moscow last year will be defending their titles in Beijing. Raphael Holzdeppe (pole vault), David Storl (shot put), and Christina Obergföll (javelin) will all be in action. Discus star Robert Harting is unfit after knee surgery and will not be in action.

Sixty-six German athletes have travelled to China for the tournament, with prospects of medals higher than ever before. Twelve athletes were placed in the top six of their respective sports in Moscow, with eight more in the top eight. Improving on this statistic is Germany's main goal, but a medal-haul is something that doesn't concern the DLV.

"The one-dimensional view of the medal table devalued the individual performances," said DLV sports director Thomas Kurschligen. "We are therefore not only looking at the medals we collect, but how our athletes peform individually."

apc/rd (AFP, dpa)