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Preview: Olympic men's 200m - Usain Bolt vs. Yohan Blake part two

Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake are likely to face each other again in the men's 200m final this week. Sports Mole previews their friendly rivalry.

This writer copped a lot of stick from his Sports Mole colleagues for this article.

In case you do not feel like clicking the link, the content of the report basically tips Yohan Blake to overhaul his fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt to claim gold in the men's 100m at the London Olympics.

You would have to have been living underground to not realise that I got it wrong on Sunday evening, as the 'Lightning Bolt' streaked ahead to retain his title, while Blake claimed a more-than-credible silver from his first ever Games.

However, that is not the end of the story. The 200m, which got underway with the heats on Tuesday morning, gives the training partners the chance to reunite their friendly rivalry.

Both were impressive in the qualifying performances, with very little to separate the two race winners. Blake clocked 20.38s, while Bolt went over the line in 20.39s.

The only thing that we can gauge from that is the fact that the duo are capable of running faster - much faster!

Blake set his personal best time of 19.26s in Brussels last year, while Bolt broke the world record at the World Championship in Berlin back in 2009 by running a swift 19.19s.

The younger of the pair, Blake, went on record earlier today to say that the 200m is his favourite of the two sprinting events - the one he that he truly believes he can win the top gong in. Not to be outdone, Bolt said exactly the same thing.

Now, to say that Blake will beat Bolt would be downright silly (I've learnt my lesson), but there can be no arguments that the 22-year-old is capable of doing it. In all honesty, he is probably the only man remaining in the field that has the speed and mentality to make it possible. What's more, having trained alongside legend Bolt, he will know any weaknesses that 25-year-old has, provided there are any!

Perhaps France's Christophe Lemaitre and Wallace Spearmon of the United States may have something to say about that, but it's hard to predict anything else other than yet another Jamaican one-two.

Bolt is quite rightly the favourite to double up sprint gold medals at an Olympic Games for a second time, after all he will be high on confidence after his 100m victory - not that he needed much of a boost!

Just don't be surprised if Yohan 'The Beast' Blake spoils the party.

Sports Mole says: Bolt to just edge out Blake for the gold medal, with the latter taking silver. Lemaitre to collect the bronze.

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Written by
Liam Apicella

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