Justin Gatlin - FILE
raleigh, north carolina, cmc
OLYMPIC AND WORLD sprint champion Justin Gatlin, of the United States of America, says missing the current indoor season is part of his plan to assault Jamaican Asafa Powell's world 100-metre record this year.
Powell partially made up for medal failure at the 2004 Athens Olympics where Gatlin won 100-metre gold by grabbing the world record with a blistering 9.77 seconds at a Super Grand Prix meet in Athens mid-June last year.
And Gatlin is using the early months of this year as preparation time to erase Powell's current world mark.
"I am setting myself a goal of running a 9.75 or even lower," Gatlin said.
"That's what I am working on now. I am sitting the indoor season out just so I can work on what I have got to work on to get better," he added.
Gatlin, 23, had a short training trip to Powell's country last month, and he feels assured that missing the indoor season -- including the World Indoor Championship next month in Moscow -- is a good decision that will make him more potent when the outdoor season gets in full swing in April.
DIFFERENT RACE
"The 60 (metres) is a very different race from the 100. You have to go back to the drawing board almost when you go outdoors from indoors. I just want to work on what I need to work on and be ready for the outdoor season.
"A lot of people will go out there just to run but you have to have a game plan," Gatlin said.
Gatlin, who is coached by Jamaican Trevor Graham, will have to significantly lower his personal best time to achieve his world record goal.
His current personal best time is 9.85 seconds but he sees a 9.75 clocking as realistic for him.
"I know I am more talented than I have shown the world. I want to go out there and show my full potential," said Gatlin, who became only the second men's sprint double champion - after Maurice Greene -- in World Championship history last year in Helsinki.
He won the 100 metres in 9.88 seconds and the 200 in 20.04.
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