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ATHLETICS

Berlin hosts epic sprint duel between Bolt and Gay

The epic sprint duel between Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay will headline a star-studded World Athletics Championships in Berlin this weekend.

Published: 14 August 2009 13:31 CEST
Berlin hosts epic sprint duel between Bolt and Gay
Runner Bold celebrates. Photo: DPA

Bolt took the Beijing Olympics by storm last summer, as the towering, laid-back Jamaican won the double gold sprint and claimed gold as part of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team. Amazingly, all of his victories set new world record times.

He has continued his impressive form into this season, but the year’s best marks in both the 100 and 200m races (9.77 and 19.58sec respectively) have been set by arch-rival Gay, the American who endured a miserable Olympics after rushing back from a debilitating hamstring injury.

Gay is also the runner with the world credentials, having emulated Bolt’s triple gold feat at the last world championships in Osaka two years ago. The duo have, to the delight of their agents ahead of a showcase competition, avoided each other so far this season. But the Jamaican claims to have been performing only at 85 percent of his capability and has displayed levels of confidence expected of macho sprinters.

“I would love to do better than the Olympics, just going out there and winning is enough for me,” said the 22-year-old, who is looking to break his own 100m world record of 9.69sec when he takes to the track on Saturday.

“Expectations are going to be higher here than Beijing, but I am ready to go and do my best. I know what I did there and I know the high responsibility which comes with it, I am working hard to do better than last year,” he said. “I have no problems, I am in good shape and itching to race now.”

Gay said that breaching the world record would be the ultimate target: “I believe Usain Bolt will try to break the world record, why wouldn’t he?”

“If that is what it takes to win the 100m, that is what I will have to do and I will try to do the same,” he said. “The world record is the only number I have in mind, I want to win more than anything, but I want to run fast. I don’t want to run 9.99 and people say it wasn’t fast. I believe 9.60secs is obtainable – that is my goal.”

At the Osaka worlds in 2007, Gay spearheaded the US team to the top of the overall table, matching a meet record with 14 titles. Kenya came second with five, thanks to their incomparable distance runners, with Russia in third.

On the track, the US team again looks strong, with the likes of 400m specialists Jeremy Wariner, Lashawn Merritt and Sanya Richards all offering strong gold medal contenders.

Wariner, Allyson Felix, Kerron Clement, Michelle Perry, Reese Hoffa, Brad Walker and Bernard Lagat will all defend world titles from two years ago. In the field, pole-vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva will be seeking to overcome a minor blip of finishing second in the recent London Grand Prix to continue her domination.

The Russian, who has won two Olympic and two world crowns, was adamant that she would use the loss to Poland’s Anna Rogowska to her advantage.

“I’m happy I lost because I feel more motivated and will concentrate more on Berlin now,” the 27-year-old said. “I am still very confident. I know I can build a big gap ahead of the field like before.”

Ethiopian middle-distance duo Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba will be out to build on their Olympic form in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, when they won an unprecedented double gold to boost their country up to 18th in the overall medals table.

Dibaba will likely be up against compatriot Meseret Defar, the Athens Olympic champion who timed her run to perfection to win her first 5000m title in Osaka.

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BERLIN

EXPLAINED: Berlin’s latest Covid rules

In response to rapidly rising Covid-19 infection rates, the Berlin Senate has introduced stricter rules, which came into force on Saturday, November 27th. Here's what you need to know.

Published: 27 November 2021 16:16 CET
Updated: 29 November 2021 14:17 CET
A sign in front of a waxing studio in Berlin indicates the rule of the 2G system
A sign in front of a waxing studio indicates the rule of the 2G system with access only for fully vaccinated people and those who can show proof of recovery from Covid-19 as restrictions tighten in Berlin. STEFANIE LOOS / AFP

The Senate agreed on the tougher restrictions on Tuesday, November 23rd with the goal of reducing contacts and mobility, according to State Secretary of Health Martin Matz (SPD).

He explained after the meeting that these measures should slow the increase in Covid-19 infection rates, which was important as “the situation had, unfortunately, deteriorated over the past weeks”, according to media reports.

READ ALSO: Tougher Covid measures needed to stop 100,000 more deaths, warns top German virologist

Essentially, the new rules exclude from much of public life anyone who cannot show proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19. You’ll find more details of how different sectors are affected below.

Shops
If you haven’t been vaccinated or recovered (2G – geimpft (vaccinated) or genesen (recovered)) from Covid-19, then you can only go into shops for essential supplies, i.e. food shopping in supermarkets or to drugstores and pharmacies.

Many – but not all – of the rules for shopping are the same as those passed in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg in order to avoid promoting ‘shopping tourism’ with different restrictions in different states.

Leisure
2G applies here, too, as well as the requirement to wear a mask with most places now no longer accepting a negative test for entry. Only minors are exempt from this requirement.

Sport, culture, clubs
Indoor sports halls will off-limits to anyone who hasn’t  been vaccinated or can’t show proof of recovery from Covid-19. 2G is also in force for cultural events, such as plays and concerts, where there’s also a requirement to wear a mask. 

In places where mask-wearing isn’t possible, such as dance clubs, then a negative test and social distancing are required (capacity is capped at 50 percent of the maximum).

Restaurants, bars, pubs (indoors)
You have to wear a mask in all of these places when you come in, leave or move around. You can only take your mask off while you’re sat down. 2G rules also apply here.

Hotels and other types of accommodation 
Restrictions are tougher here, too, with 2G now in force. This means that unvaccinated people can no longer get a room, even if they have a negative test.

Hairdressers
For close-contact services, such as hairdressers and beauticians, it’s up to the service providers themselves to decide whether they require customers to wear masks or a negative test.

Football matches and other large-scale events
Rules have changed here, too. From December 1st, capacity will be limited to 5,000 people plus 50 percent of the total potential stadium or arena capacity. And only those who’ve been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 will be allowed in. Masks are also compulsory.

For the Olympic Stadium, this means capacity will be capped at 42,000 spectators and 16,000 for the Alte Försterei stadium. 

Transport
3G rules – ie vaccinated, recovered or a negative test – still apply on the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses in Berlin. It was not possible to tighten restrictions, Matz said, as the regulations were issued at national level.

According to the German Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, people have to wear a surgical mask or an FFP2 mask  on public transport.

Christmas markets
The Senate currently has no plans to cancel the capital’s Christmas markets, some of which have been open since Monday. 

According to Matz, 2G rules apply and wearing a mask is compulsory.

Schools and day-care
Pupils will still have to take Covid tests three times a week and, in classes where there are at least two children who test positive in the rapid antigen tests, then tests should be carried out daily for a week.  

Unlike in Brandenburg, there are currently no plans to move away from face-to-face teaching. The child-friendly ‘lollipop’ Covid tests will be made compulsory in day-care centres and parents will be required to confirm that the tests have been carried out. Day-care staff have to document the results.

What about vaccination centres?
Berlin wants to expand these and set up new ones, according to Matz. A new vaccination centre should open in the Ring centre at the end of the week and 50 soldiers from the German army have been helping at the vaccination centre at the Exhibition Centre each day since last week.

The capacity in the new vaccination centre in the Lindencenter in Lichtenberg is expected to be doubled. There are also additional vaccination appointments so that people can get their jabs more quickly. Currently, all appointments are fully booked well into the new year.

 

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