ROME, Italy (CMC):

Former World record holder Asafa Powell will clash with resurgent American sprint ace Tyson Gay on July 10 in a prelude to the much-anticipated World Championships in Berlin in August.

The two are expected to go head-to-head in the 100 metres at Rome's Golden Gala, the third meeting of the Golden League at the Stadio Olimpico.

With both runners having already dipped below 10 seconds in the event this season, the meeting is expected to produce mouth-watering fireworks, especially coming a month ahead of the World Championships, scheduled to run from August 15-23.

Comeback from injury

Powell, the fleet-footed Jamaican, is beginning to come into his own after struggling with injury recently.

He signalled his return to some measure of form with a 9.97 clocking at Jamaica's National Champion-ships, as he finished second behind double Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt.

Powell currently holds the Golden Gala meet record at 9.85 seconds along with former Olympic and world champion Maurice Greene.

Gay, meanwhile, has been ominous since coming back from the injury that limited his participation in last year's Beijing Olympics.

Blistering time

He launched his season with a blistering 19.58 seconds in the 200 metres at the Reebok Grand Prix in May and just last weekend, clocked a wind-aided 9.75 seconds in the 100 metres heats at the United States trials in Oregon.

Gay is the reigning World Championships double sprint champion after dominating in Osaka, Japan, two years ago.

Both sprinters have already been installed as title contenders in Berlin and are expected to strongly challenge double world record holder Bolt who is the hot favourite.