The Editor, Sir:

Having watched several times the recently contested 100m in Stockholm, Sweden, involving my two countrymen and fastest humans over the distance, I am convinced that Bolt gave up the victory in order to give Asafa a much needed shot in the arm (confidence) approaching the Beijing Olympics.

Although he got a most horrible start, his superior speed allowed him to close a two-meter-gap established by Asafa. He clearly had the momentum in the last couple of strides to cap the win, had he not deliberately slowed himself at the line.

Just like he did at the National trials when he toyed with Asafa and the rest of the field, grinning away in the last 20 meters of the race to immense disappointment from the huge crowd, he was reluctant again to spank Asafa. He possibly did so because of their friendship and because he knows that the former world record holder needed that victory more than him in order to enhance his mental toughness and preparation for the big one.

All the tapes and pictures show Bolt in the last three meters looking comfortably across to Asafa with a cheeky little smirk on his face, while Asafa was diving to the line.

My advice to Usain however is to recognise that he is now a professional and no longer a teenager running with a chain in his mouth. Friendship aside, the organizers and spectators spend big bucks to see you give of your best at all times, despite the other entrants in the race.

I saw what I saw in the last three meters of that race and it falls somewhere between a lack of professionalism and athletic fraud. Usain, you could have won that race if you really wanted to - you could have.

I am, etc,

Richard Patterson