Usain Bolt will put his famous "Who faster?" taunt to the test again at the world championships.
So far, it has worked every time it has mattered most.
Ever since his stunning world records and gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and his repeat at the 2009 Berlin World Championships, the Jamaican sprinter has turned into one of the true global superstars in sports.
So when the championships open Saturday, most of the attention will focus on Bolt. Not that he minds. As usual, he is already making light of the pressure and expectations.
High on confidence
"I am always confident. I am unbeaten this year and aim to defend all my titles in Daegu," Bolt told The Associated Press in an e-mail exchange.
On top of his individual gold medals, he also helped Jamaica win titles in the sprint relays at Beijing and Berlin.
Anything less than a haul of nine gold medals from Beijing and two world championships would be a disappointment for him ahead of the 2012 London Olympics. But when it comes to "who faster?" in the 100 in 2011, Bolt is not on top of the list. He is not even the top Jamaican.
He's been in similar positions before. "Some people ran well in the early season but it is the championships that count," Bolt said. "We always train to peak at the major championships. My coach sets out the program with this as the goal."
{{/usCountry}}He's been in similar positions before. "Some people ran well in the early season but it is the championships that count," Bolt said. "We always train to peak at the major championships. My coach sets out the program with this as the goal."
{{/usCountry}}